A PENNY for the thoughts of Paul Nicholls as he watched the Ballymore on Wednesday. For the third year in a row he saw his best novice hurdler completely swallowed up by an Irish challenge that must have sometimes felt insurmountable for any British trainer this week.

Stage Star was the middle leg of that trio, proving no match for the likes of Sir Gerhard and even though he came into the Turners’ Novices Chase off the back of an impressive course-and-distance win off top weight in handicap, enthusiasm was tempered, not least after Hermes Allen’s failure to land a sizeable blow the previous day.

Yet the longer this contest went on, the more pleased Nicholls became because just like he did before, Stage Star was travelling and jumping beautifully in front for Harry Cobden. The pair were headed by their closest pursuer for much of the journey, Notlongtilmay, as they turned in, but Cobden never panicked, and his partner stayed strongly, to hold off that rival, with Mighty Potter disappointing in third.

“There’s nothing better than winning at Cheltenham, being in the winner’s enclosure here, especially for a group of owners like these. It just gets to you. I just love it,” said Nicholls.

“Today I said to Harry bounce out, be positive and dictate it from the front and he is so good at doing that. That is a good horse who is improving so I’m thrilled.

“I’m thrilled he has come back from last year’s disaster (in the Ballymore) and that he has gone really forward. That slightly better ground on that track suits ours.

“He will be aiming for the Ryanair next year and that is what I’ve always thought. He would get three miles but he has got plenty of boot and he jumps well. I was always hoping he might be a Ryanair horse after his last run but he had to win today to be a Ryanair horse.”

Nicholls paid tribute to his rider, who he said was quite down the previous night - Thyme White was another big disappointment when falling at the second last in the Grand Annual.

Cobden excels with this type of jumper and like his trainer, he cut something of a relieved figure in the winner’s enclosure afterwards.

“I watched his previous race back last night funnily enough and I thought if this horse powers up the hill the same way he did there, then he’s sure to have a good chance. He was very good. I managed to dictate it in front.

“He’ll stay further as well I would have thought. He wasn’t stopping at the end.”

The writing was on the wall for Mighty Potter turning in and it may well be a case that this track isn’t for him, 12 months on from his no-show in the Supreme. Davy Russell felt he was going as fast he could but could never get on terms with the winner. The runner-up Notlongtillmay ran a storming race for Leicestershire trainer Laura Morgan. He was three from three over fences coming in here but his form was mostly disregarded.

Providing what shows up at Aintree, he has a live chance of scoring a Grade 1 success.

TONY Martin bridged a gap of eight years to his last Cheltenham winner through a win for Good Time Jonny in the Pertemps Final, a success that owed plenty to an inspired ride by Liam McKenna.

Approaching the last there were eight horses in line and Good Time Jonny wasn’t one of them. Indeed, McKenna still had him last of the 23-runner field at the top of the hill, but timed his run to absolute perfection, and a bunch finish soon became a cosy three-length success.

A joyous Martin paid tribute to his rider firstly.

“He was last at the top of the hill, but he had the patience to sit and wait, and it turned out well,” he said. “As they turned in he began to pick up a bit again. I know it is a long way and a long call. He never chased them when he could have, when 10 lads, including non-claiming professionals, would have chased them.

Agony

“Days like this are the ones you live for. It’s been a few years now since we had a winner here, but it is worth the agony and the hardship. It’s absolutely brilliant. A bit of a gap makes it better!

McKenna, who rode Tudor City to win the Galway Hurdle for Martin two seasons ago, reflected: “When he started to pick up going to the last from there on, I knew he was going to do it. It took a furlong and a half for him to outstay them. It (that feeling) is indescribable, maybe next time I can tell you. It is just sinking in now.”

Kept on

Gordon Elliott’s Salvador Ziggy kept on for second while last year’s third Mill Green filled that position again.

It was a seventh Festival winner for Martin who has been undergoing a resurgence in recent seasons, yet even in his quietest times, he still managed to secure multiple wins in the Galway Hurdle and produced Anibale Fly to place in two Gold Cups.

Good Time Jonny is owned by the New York-based trio of Adrian Shiels, Donal Gavigan and Niall Reilly, best known for their exuberant celebrations during their ownership of the Martin-trained Heartbreak City.

They were also involved in Benefficient who won the Golden Miller (Turners) here in 2013.