Shady Operator shows his class in Bolger one-two

Shady Operator (5/4f) led home Midnight Maestro to give Enda Bolger a one-two in the Risk Of Thunder Chase over the banks course in Punchestown.

The 14-year-old Ballyboker Bridge put in a fantastic shift off the front but was picked off on either side by the McManus pair after the second last.

Shady Operator looked to be travelling better than Midnight Maestro and so it proved as he stretched away on the run-in under Derek O'Connor to score by seven lengths in first-time cheekpieces.

Midnight Maestro and Mark Walsh finished second at 7/1. Hurricane Darwin came in third at 16/1.

As a 136-rated chaser, Shady Operator showed his class in this cross country discipline.

Bolger said: “I just said to Derek O’Connor that 'you're starting to enjoy that' as this horse was his first winner here in February over the banks.

“We’ll probably be going to Cheltenham in December with him.

“The second horse ran well. It was his first run since the Festival here and his first time around there was a little bit rusty. You can’t beat a run around here so he’ll be a nice horse to look forward to.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee