Stratum provided Willie Mullins with his second successive victory in the Emirates Cesarewitch at Newmarket.
Ireland's perennial champion National Hunt trainer saddled the first two home in last year's renewal of the £350,000 contest, with Low Sun getting the better of stable companion Uradel in a thrilling finish.
Mullins was again well represented, with the Frankie Dettori-ridden Buildmeupbuttercup and William Buick's mount Great White Shark both prominent in the betting - but it was the outsider of the three Stratum who struck gold at 25-1 in the hands of Jason Watson.
Disappointing when well-fancied for this race a year ago, the Tony Bloom-owned six-year-old has largely failed to fire in valuable handicaps both on the Flat and over hurdles since.
He was a ready winner of a minor event on his most recent Flat start at Killarney, but was turned over as the 1-4 favourite on his latest appearance over hurdles at Listowel.
However, he was back on-song in this fiercely competitive two-and-a-quarter-mile contest, knuckling down in the closing stages to get the better of 50-1 shot Party Playboy - trained by Willie's brother Tony Mullins - by half a length.
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