CADMIUM booked his ticket to the Grand Annual Chase at Cheltenham in winning the Grade 3 WhatOddsPaddy? Chase at Naas.

The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old was given a searching test by Gordon Elliott’s Doctor Phoenix, before eventually asserting to land the odds as the 4/6 favourite.

There was all to play for at the last, but Cadmium got on top close home under Paul Townend and was three lengths to the good over Davy Russell’s mount at the line in the two-mile contest.

Mullins said: “He’ll probably go for the Grand Annual at Cheltenham. It probably won’t help his mark with the weights still to come out, but it’s a nice race to win here today.”

Townend added of the Supreme Horse Racing Club-owned gelding: “We were at the start a long time and he was alive down there. The owners are a big enthusiastic syndicate and the likes of him keep them going.”

Paddy Power left Cadmium unchanged at 14/1 for the Grand Annual.

READ THE FULL NAAS REPORT IN NEXT WEEKEND'S EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD