RACING/Leopardstown report: An appropriate soundtrack to Keepatem's dramatic Paddy Power Chase success at Leopardstown yesterday might have been the A-Team jingle because this really was a plan that came together in style.

A carefully mapped out campaign of just four runs over fences had resulted in a handicap mark for Keepatem that for some weeks had screamed possible big handicap success.

So when betting opened for the supposed €170,000 brain-teaser, there was a rush for the general 10 to 1 that made the post-Christmas sales scrums look civilised.

By the start of betting yesterday only half those odds were available and when the 30-strong field thundered to the first fence only 7 to 2 was available.

The sponsors have usually made considerable hay for their prize-money investment in the race but this time there was almost an inevitability to the pay-out.

For a novice it was some ask but Mouse Morris's confidence in his diminutive stayer was only matched by jockey Conor O'Dwyer's and significantly JP McManus was also moved to back his horse's chance.

"It was only a little bet," grinned the champion owner. "Just enough to pay for the party!"

McManus's Christmas didn't start off too well with a particularly disappointing St Stephen's Day flop by Like-A-Butterfly. He had two other runners in yesterday's feature and when Be The Hokey fell at the first McManus must have been cursing his luck.

His mood can't have improved when Heads On the Ground pulled up before the third last but by then it was impossible to ignore the favourite.

Conor O'Dwyer threaded his way through the field with the sure touch of a jockey in form and by the time they swung into the straight there looked to be only one winner.

Only then did Keepatem's lack of experience and size threaten to spoil the party as a gap between Jaquouille and Kymandjen vanished in front of him. But O'Dwyer calmly switched and once over the last the favourite went away for a popular four-length success.

It was a third victory in the race for McManus after Time For A Run and World Wide Web last year and he was happy to spread the praise.

"It was an inspired ride. He was a lot braver than I was watching it," said McManus.

"They ducked and dived and got the run of the race. We thought if he got over the last he would have too much toe."

Typically O'Dwyer tired to deflect some of the compliments to the horse and said: "You need the horse to take the gaps that appear. He did it well and in the straight I was going for a gap that probably wasn't there."

But the planning that went into the victory could be guessed by the fervent hug the jockey received from Mouse Morris on dismounting.

Keepatem is one of only two horses Morris trains for McManus but on yesterday's evidence there might be more in the pipeline.

Asked when the plan was first drawn up, the trainer simply grinned and said: "Yesterday!"

A crowd of 16,788 was at Leopardstown yesterday, an increase of almost 1,000 on last year, and they bet a track record for the Tote of over 684,000.

That compares with a 2003 figure of €568,324. Bookmaker turnover was also up almost 350,000 to €1,961,651. The biggest betting race was the bumper which generated 376,558.