THE star performance on the Friday card at Cheltenham came from the Paul Nicholls-trained Hermes Allen in the Grade 2 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs.

Paul Nicholls is missing very few of his early-season targets and this son of Poliglote travelled and jumped well all the way and showed nice potential.

A winning Kirkistown point-to-pointer, he created a very favourable on his hurdling debut when making all to score by 27 lengths at Stratford last month.

The two Irish-trained runners threw were poised to challenge before the home bend but the eventual winner found more on the run to the last and a good jump sealed his impressive nine-length victory, with Gordon Elliott’s Magic Chimes staying on for second with the Willie Mullins-trained favourite Hubrisko fading to fourth.

John Hales co-owns the winner along with Ged Mason and Sir Alex Ferguson.

“He jumped brilliantly in front so why drop him in. He has took a big step forward since Stratford, working wise and jumping wise. He literally showed nothing before Stratford then in his last bit of work the other day it was like two different horses. At the end of the gallop we can’t stop him so he is obviously a hugely talented horse,” Nicholls said.

Harry Cobden added: “It is nice to have one good enough to run here. He gave me a fantastic feel and jumped very well. As soon as he got over the second last he pricked his ears and had a little look around, changed his legs then he was gone.”

Hermes Allen was cut to 8/1 (from 20) by Paddy Power for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March. He was also shortened to 14/1 (from 33) by Betfair for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

The Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap Chase over two miles saw Amarillo Sky (7/2) provide trainer Joe Tizzard with his first Cheltenham winner since taking over the licence from father Colin in May.

The six-year-old was a fine fifth as a novice in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual at the Festival March and after finding Grade 1 company too hot on his final outing at Aintree last season, he won this well.

He showed plenty of guts to lead from pillar to post for a length-and-a-half success under Brendan Powell.

Tizzard was happy to be back in the winner’s enclosure at Cheltenham. He said: “For one second after the last I thought he was going to get passed but he stuck his head down well. He is a progressive six-year-old and I’m chuffed to bits with that.

“That is my first Cheltenham winner in my own name, but I’m not sure when we had our last Cheltenham winner as a team to be honest either, but it is nice to get one in the bag. It is brilliant for Jon Romans as he is a huge supporter of ours and these horses are in his own name now.

“There is a nice race at Newbury in two weeks’ time so I will probably take him there.”

Prayers answered

Unanswered Prayers wasted no time in getting off the mark over fences after finding extra in reserve late on to register a battling front-running success in the two-and-a-half-mile SSS Super Alloys Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

A triple winner over hurdles, the six-year-old hit the ground running on his chasing debut following a game performance under Tom Cannon to get off the mark for the campaign in the two-and a-half-mile contest.

Trainer Chris Gordon said afterwards: “That was really good and I loved the way he jumped. I thought he was a bit big over the first one but the only disappointment was going up that run-in he was looking where the exit was and not really getting on with what he should be, but he jumped well. To come here and have a winner for a loyal supporter is absolutely fantastic.

Magic Dancer came through on the run-in win the Glenfarclas Veterans’ Handicap Chase for Kerry Lee and jockey Richard Patrick and a very happy group of owners in The Magic Partnership.

Five horses were contention at the last where the leader Broken Quest threw a huge jump and gave the initiative to the winner who stayed on best.

“I’ve calmed down now, that was a frantic 20 minutes. That was one of the best rides I’ve ever seen Richard give a horse,” a delighted trainer old Lydia Hislop on RacingTV.

Irish-trained winners bring great delight

JOCKEY Kieren Buckley enjoyed a moment he had dreamt about since starting out riding when tasting victory at Cheltenham for the first time aboard Sweet Will (8/1) in the opening Markel Insurance Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

The 26-year-old guided the Gavin Cromwell-trained gelding to glory, which was his second victory in the space of a week.

Having scored at Fairyhouse on Tuesday the five-year-old demonstrated that stamina is very much his forte in the two-mile-and-five-furlong contest.

Around the final bend, victory looked to be heading the way of strong-travelling 4/1 joint-favourite Fine Casting, who swept past long-time leader Hector Javilex.

However, although he still holding every chance over the final flight, it was Sweet Will who stormed by up the run-in before going on to score by three and three-quarter lengths.

Buckley said: “Relief or elation, I don’t know how to describe it! It’s a moment I’ve dreamt about since I’ve started riding. I couldn’t believe how I went away from the rest of them when I pinged over the last.

“I’ve come here with chances before and for one reason or another they’ve all got beat. I don’t know if it’s a bit poetic or what, but I had a ride here for Gavin in the County Hurdle and got offered the job on the back of that - so to come back here six months later and ride my first Cheltenham winner for Gavin is amazing and I owe the man a lot. The feeling definitely lived up to my dreams.”

Donohoe’s thrill

The card ended with an Irish one-two in the two-mile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle when Contrapposto (28/1), trained by Dick Donohoe, held off the persistent challenge of Tony Martin’s Explosive Boy.

It was also a first winner at Cheltenham for the trainer and for jockey Mikey O’Sullivan.

Cousin of the trainer Johnny Donohoe said on RacingTV – “It’s a fantastic thrill. Dick is a very shrewd man – he is the king of handicaps and we beat the beat the king of handicaps in Tony Martin!”