Banks ace Bolger ensures festival starts in familiar manner with 1-2 in opener

Same as it ever was. What better way to get the end-of-season spectacular started than with an Enda Bolger-trained winner over the cross-country course. It is tradition at this stage.

The Bruree-based banks supremo has trained the winner of the Fr Sean Breen Memorial Ladies Cup eight times since 2003, and that became nine winners in 17 years when Blue Templar made it third time lucky in the race, seeing off stablemate Youcannotbeserious to give his trainer a 1-2 in the contest he craves so much.

Blue Templar was third in 2017 and beaten a head last year, but he was not taking no for an answer this time and sprinted clear to win by three and three-quarter lengths under Raymond Barron.