The Willie Mullins-trained Franco De Port caused a surprise with victory in the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown.
Sent off 8/1 in the hands of Bryan Cooper, Franco De Port was ridden with restraint and allowed the market principals - namely Felix Desjy and Darver Star - to fight for early supremacy, before coming through to pick it up at the last and win by four and a half lengths.
The Grade One was run at a strange tempo, with Felix Desjy making most of the running before losing his pitch soon after halfway and then making a bad mistake three fences from the finish.
He was still on the scene as Darver Star them then into the final bend but he cut across the strong-travelling Embittered which appeared to really take the stuffing out of Joseph O'Brien's horse.
Darver Star stuck at it out in front but he was joined by the winner at the last and couldn't respond when Cooper's mount was asked for maximum effort on the run-in. Felix Desjy - sent off the 15/8 favourite - was ultimately a disappointing third.
Blackbow, ridden by David Mullins, was the shorter of the Mullins pair in the betting but he departed when falling at the third fence, after which horse and jockey were quickly to their feet.
