Call The Police was made to work hard to land the odds in the Beamish Stout Phil Sweeney Memorial Chase at Thurles.

The race developed into a duel in home straight with Willie Mullins' charge always pulling out enough to hold the persistent challenge of Foildubh

Odonimee took them along in the Grade Three event but blundered at the sixth last and surrendered the lead with another mistake five out.

2/7 favourite Call The Police took over, under Ruby Walsh, but was tracked through by Foildubh, who threw down his challenge two out.

The runner-up, trying to give the winner 7lb, couldn't find a way past in the closing stages, eventually going down by half a length. The pair were 42-lengths clear of Odonimee.

Call The Police had chased home the classy Hidden Cyclone on his return to action at Gowran in November and missed the festive period for this engagement.

“It was worth missing Christmas for this. We had it in our minds to come for this race as it was a nice prize,” revealed Mullins.

“We'll keep him to between two and two-and-a-half miles. He could go further but I don't really want to at the moment.

“The (Grade 2) Kinloch Brae back here (on January 17th) is a possibility.”

(Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes)