L'Ami, who had gone to post as a 7/4 favourite, led into the straight under JT McNamara, but despite conceding 4lb to the favourite Nina Carberry partnered Garde Champetre to the front at the last and never relented while Drombeag ran on to finish third with Heads On The Ground, the long-time leader, the only one from the stable not to get a place.
A delighted Enda Bolger said: "It was great, we had a bit of luck with everything finishing. I've been saying it all along, but I think she (Nina Carberry) is probably the best rider I've ever seen, she's tremendous.
"Without a doubt she has been the making of that horse. He's not the biggest, we used to have old Spot The Difference here and this one would be able to walk under him. L'Ami got into a great rhythm and got the run of the race, but the best horse on the day won. Let's hope they are all here next year."
Nina Carberry, whose brother Paul rode Go Native to win the Supreme Novices Hurdle, was fulsome in her praise of Garde Champetre: "He's a great little horse, he absolutely loves it. I thought L'Ami had me turning in. I was squeezing my fellow, but he wasn't really picking up.
"I didn't want to help L'Ami up the straight so I pulled wide and gave him a chance to get at him. He did it great and he's a class horse."
JP McManus, who owns all three placed horses, was thrilled by their respective performances: "That was nice. I didn't know which one to fancy, but thankfully for me the right one won as I had a few quid each-way - but the problem is I didn't have enough on! Enda lives where I used to live and he has made these races his life.
"He gives horses like L'Ami and Garde Champetre a new lease of life, they have found another vocation.
"It's great that Cheltenham have put a race like this on so that these horses aren't forgotten about and I'm very much in favour of them."
There was further joy for JP McManus, who celebrated his 58th birthday on Tuesday, in the William Hill Trophy when Tony McCoy delivered one of the rides of the season to boot home Wichita Lineman. Maljimar appeared to have the race in safe hands going over the last, but McCoy refused to give in and despite finding himself in third place over the last Wichita Lineman came back to win by a neck.
In the winner's enclosure JP McManus was full of praise for trainer Jonjo O'Neill: "Jonjo's trained this horse with the festival in mind, like you do with ever horse until you find out it's not good enough. Jonjo's done a great job with him.
"I thought he looked marvellous in the paddock and full marks to Jonjo and the team at Jackdaws Castle to get him back in full flow.
"He didn't look to be going great. I watched the race with Jonjo and we said we may have given up, but AP didn't. Words can't describe AP's dedication to the game, his will to win and the other side of him - his sympathetic nature."
Limerick connections claimed another thriller in the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy when The Goat Racing Syndicate, led by Charlie Chawke (pictured above), celebrated Forpadydeplaster winning at 8/1 under Barry Geraghty who survived an early scare at the third fence when the favourite, Tatenen, fell right in front of him. Forpadydeplaster obviously relished a return to two miles in the Arkle Trophy and just held off the late surge of Graham Lee on Ferdy Murphy's Kalahari King - the official margin was a short head.
There were joyous scenes in the winner's enclosure at Cheltenham after the Arkle with Tom Cooper, the horse's trainer and part-time dental technician, hoisted shoulder-high to the crowd's delight.
Charlie Chawke pieced together the 20-strong Goat Racing Syndicate in which electricians and plumbers complement more affluent members of Irish society.
Brian McDonnell
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