Mr Fred Rogers showed a nice combination of stamina and speed to land the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown.

The Sholokhov gelding won a bumper for Willie Murphy at Tipperary earlier this year and appreciated the step up to 2m5f to open his account over hurdles.

Davy Russell was hard at work early in the straight but the 7/4 favourite really hit top gear approaching the last and stayed on strongly to beat Shantreusse by a length-and-three-quarters with the front-running Barbary Master a further three-quarters-of-a-length back in third.

Winning trainer Gordon Elliott said, “He’s a grand honest horse. He stays well and I like the way he put his head out.

“You’d say off the home turn he would be third but in fairness he stayed galloping well.

“Willie Murphy won a bumper with this horse and recommended the lads to send him to me so a big thanks to him. They are from Carlow.”