Silent Oscar a surprise winner at Punchestown

Silent Oscar pipped last year's winner Macs Joy as the pair battled it out down the Punchestown straight in a thrilling ACC Bank Champion Hurdle.

The duo served up what could be billed as one of finishes of the season as the Harry Rogers-trained 20-1 shot denied Macs Joy consecutive wins in the Grade One feature on the final day of the 2007 Festival.

After veteran Hardy Eustace waved the white flag at the fourth-last flight, Grand National winning-rider Robbie Power sent the eventual winner on at the head of affairs.

For a stride or two he appeared to have made a decisive move, but the 7-4 favourite Macs Joy threw down the gauntlet at the second-last and the two horses were joined at the hip for the rest of the race.

Barry Geraghty poked Macs Joy's nose in front after the final flight, but the unheralded Silent Oscar would not be denied his moment of glory and fought back tenaciously to succeed by a neck in the €200,000 event.

Hardy Eustace was eight lengths away in third, with Callow Lake fourth and the Noel Meade trio of Harchibald, Iktitaf and Sweet Wake finishing fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.

Rogers said: "I am surprised. I thought he had a slight chance and this was always the plan, but I thought I'd be chasing placed prize money."

Silent Oscar was confirming recent Flat form with the runner-up, who finished in the same position when the pair clashed just under two weeks ago at the Curragh.

Rogers continued: "His win at the Curragh was no fluke and freshened him up nicely, but the ground is the key to him. He ran third behind Brave Inca on heavy ground over Christmas, but he needs fast ground. The rest is history!

"Robbie was great on him and the horse has galloped all of the way to the line.

"He is a two-and-a-half-mile horse so Robbie went on a long way out.

"I might look at the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot for him in the summer if the ground is good and not too fast and after that he will have a good break."

Totesport offer 14-1 about Rogers' charge for next year's Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, with William Hill more generous at 33-1.

Power added: "I probably got to the front sooner than I wanted, but Hardy Eustace wasn't travelling like he usually does.

"When Barry came to us again he really picked up and stuck his head out all the way to the line."

Owner Patrick Convery said: "Macs Joy got up on him for a couple of yards, but he fought back again - it's brilliant.

"As long as the ground was good, we were happy enough. We've just been waiting for the ground all year and thank goodness it has come."

Macs Joy's trainer Jessica Harrington was gracious in defeat and said: "He has run his heart out.

"He was probably just lacking in match practice and Barry said the horse got tired after the final flight.

"He hasn't had a hard season so he might run again somewhere in the near future, but I will have to talk to the owners."

This was seemingly dual Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace's last run over the minimum distance, with Dessie Hughes planning to step him up in trip next season.

Hughes said: "I am pleased with him and that is as good as I could have expected given the preparation he has had after Cheltenham.

"He'll go to grass now and we'll bring him back in the autumn and look to the stayers' races."