JP AP and Jonjo Synchronised Gold

Tony McCoy survived interference on the bend to win the Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle on Alderwood on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival.

It was the champion jockey's first win of the meeting but his chance might've gone rounding the home turn when he was squeezed for room on the rail, losing momentum.

However, McCoy got a nice tune out of the winner on the far side up the hill, the pair three-quarters-of-a-length clear of Edgardo Sol at the line.

Sailors Warn looked a real danger up the stands' rail jumping the last but he had to settle for third with Gordon Elliott's Plan A fourth.

Via Galilei was fifth for Gary and Jamie Moore.

McCoy said: "It's great to have a winner at last. "I rode him the last day (at Leopardstown) and he was going well until the second-last but then didn't finish as well as I'd have liked.

"I think he's had a fibrillating heart problem.

"He got murdered on the bottom bend but he was 20-1 so I was taking a few chances and hopefully he would keep going.

"It's great to ride a winner for my boss."

Trainer Thomas Mullins added: "It's great to have a winner here at last, what with my father and two brothers already on the list.

"Things didn't quite work out for him the last day but he had been working very well at home.

"He got absolutely hammered on the home turn but it makes a difference having the right man on board and he really is the 'Real McCoy'.

"It's such a delight having him on board and the owner, JP, is such a nice man."

Mullins Backs Novice Boston Bob

Willie Mullins agonised long and hard over which race to send Boston Bob this week and came down on the side of Friday's Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

Given the way Simonsig destroyed his rivals in the Neptune on Wednesday, some might say that looks a prudent decision but the County Carlow maestro has never made any secret of the regard in which he holds the Graham Wylie-owned novice.

In giving 10lb to his rivals when dishing out a beating on heavy ground at Leopardstown, Boston Bob emerged as the brightest young prospect in Ireland.

The seven-year-old completed his Festival prep with a gallop alongside Hurricane Fly and Quevega.

"He's one of the best novices we've ever sent over and the three miles will be no problem for him," said Mullins.

"With his pedigree, he should love the drier ground as well.

"He's done everything right for us this year and surprised us the first time we worked him.

"He showed us that he was a bit out of the ordinary and confirmed that when he won his first maiden hurdle.

"For a horse his size, he has lots of gears and moves effortlessly into a top gear and is able to maintain that as well.

"When you pull him out among other horses you immediately say he's a chaser, so what he's doing over hurdles is fantastic.

"I'm really looking forward to him going over fences."

Sea Of Thunder, also trained in Ireland by Charles Byrnes, was in the process of running away with a Grade Two at Cheltenham in December but fell at the final flight.

He then finished fifth behind Boston Bob on unsuitably heavy ground in January.

His trainer is expecting a more prominent showing back on a sounder surface.

Byrnes said: "He would have been a good winner in December when he fell, so we know he handles the track.

"The ground didn't suit him in Leopardstown the last day, so I was happy enough with him.

"I don't think anything will beat Boston Bob, but hopefully we'll be there or thereabouts."

Alan King quietly fancies the chances of Lovcen. Wins at Towcester and Wincanton have sandwiched a fall in a Grade Two at Doncaster.

"This looks very competitive, but Lovcen is improving and if he can maintain his upward curve then he, too, could be interesting," said King.

"He has only raced four times under Rules and has won two of his last three, and his last victory at Wincanton was his most impressive performance yet.

"I think stepping up to three miles will suit him, and, while there might be one or two classier ones in there, our fellow deserves to take his chance."

Emma Lavelle's Fox Appeal has won three of his four starts over timber. "He's improved all year and is definitely going the right way, and he's done it the hard way in handicaps," said Lavelle.

"He is liable to kick a few (hurdles) out of the ground on the way around but it doesn't seem to stop him.

"Touch wood, he must go there with a decent chance. He's had a bit of experience and he knows what it's like to run in a big field so hopefully he'll run well.

"We know he stays, and he does it the hard way, he doesn't want to make his life easy because he pulls so hard but he still seems to get home.

"He's got a big engine and he just needs to use it the right way."

Gordon Elliott has aimed Mount Benbulben at this race all season. He suffered a back injury after chasing home Boston Bob at Navan, where he compromised his chance by jumping continually to his right, but Elliott is pleased again with him now.

"He's in good nick and in very good form. We're looking forward it," said the County Meath handler.

"He's a nice horse but obviously Boston Bob is the one to beat."

All Theatre for Barry Geraghty

Riverside Theatre continued Nicky Henderson's amazing festival with a thrilling victory in the Ryanair Chase.

The 7/2 chance had to dig really deep on the run-in to deny Albertas Run a hat-trick of wins in the Grade One event, giving Henderson a sixth success of the week and jockey Barry Geraghty his fifth.

Tony McCoy asked Albertas Run to make all the running but was hassled all the way by Irish raider Rubi Light, while the eventual winner had anything but a trouble-free run in the chasing pack.

Albertas Run (10/1) still led descending the hill, where Riverside Theatre was upsides for the first time.

Rubi Light was the first to give way but Medermit (8/1) threw down the biggest challenge two out, and may even have led after the last as Albertas Run went right.

But Geraghty got a great response from his partner, conjuring one last lunge to get up close home and deny the brave 11-year-old by half-a-length, with Medermit a similar distance away in third.

"It was hard work," said the jockey. "I never travelled and he missed a good few (fences) but he's game.

"I threw him at the last four fences and he kept coming up. I was beaten everywhere.

"I was a bit tight for room because he wasn't travelling but every time I dug into him he found more.

"I was trying to keep count (of the whip) and I hope I'm all right. He's very classy. It's unbelievable training to bring him back from a year off to win two Grade Ones."

Henderson said: "In fairness that was some great ride. I don't think either of us was enjoying that a lot and I don't think Barry was either as it didn't look very likely all the way.

"They were always travelling a gear higher than he wanted to be in. That was some ride to get him home."

Actor James Nesbitt, who part-owns the horse said: "I just can't believe the ride that Barry gave him and Nicky has done such an incredible job to bring him back like he has.

"The training performance at Ascot was extraordinary, but to have him in that nick today - to have that courage and battle like he did is incredible."

Jonjo O'Neill said of Albertas Run: "He's run a cracking race and we're thrilled to bits with him.

"The ground was maybe a bit on the dead side and AP (McCoy) said that there was one fence on the top of the hill that he didn't really fly, he didn't miss it but just didn't make up as much ground as he might have done.

"He's a great horse to train and I wish I had a yard full of horses like him.

"I thought we were in with a chance and Riverside Theatre was on and off the bridle but Barry gave his horse a great ride, as did AP, but he stayed on. He'll probably go to Aintree if he's OK."

Noel Williams, Alan King's assistant trainer, said of Medermit: "He's run a great race. We'd been thinking about this or the Gold Cup, he stays this (two-mile-five) trip well and I think he'll be worth running over three miles now.

"He's so unlucky not to win here but he's always there or thereabouts."

Poquelin was withdrawn at the start having been kicked in the mouth.

Sir Des Gives O'Leary Jewson Win

Irish punters got day three of Cheltenham off to a perfect start when the Willie Mullins-trained Sir Des Champs (3/1) landed the Jewson Novices Chase.

The six-year-old, who won the conditional jockeys' race at the festival a year ago, was patiently ridden by Davy Russell as Champion Court (8/1) made much of the running.

The locally-trained horse shook off the attentions of Zaynar coming down the hill and only had the eventual winner for company travelling to the second last.

The pair were still locked together over the final fence but when Russell finally went for Sir Des Champs the response was immediate, Mullins' charge galloping on strongly to beat the gallant Champion Court by four-and-a-half lengths.

There were a further nine lengths back to For Non Stop (8/1) while the well-backed 5/2 favourite Peddlers Cross was beaten a long way out and trailed home after a disrupted preparation that clearly left its mark.

Mullins said: "He was very good and I'm really looking forward to next year over longer trips.

"He was foot-perfect. Davy asked him plenty of questions and he came up every time. Davy rode him with great confidence. A good pace and plenty of jumping will suit him best.

"This is the first time he's had a real test this year as Gigginstown have had so many good novice chasers so we've kept him going out in the country in lesser races.

"That has obviously built up his confidence because he was very good. Hopefully it will be the Gold Cup next year."

Owner Michael O'Leary, who sponsors the feature race of the day, the Ryanair Chase, said: "It was a wonderful ride by Davy.

"We've been hitting the crossbar all week so it's great to finally stick one in the net.

"It's hard to know what you've got until you get here. Willie brought him along slowly and probably thought he wanted a lot further - he could have run in the other race (RSA Chase).

"We went close in that with First Lieutenant but we've won this."

Russell added: "He's a very good horse. A lot of the credit should go to Aaron Madden who absolutely adores this horse, and since the first day he landed he's looked after him and he's done such a wonderful job.

"He jumped every fence, he never missed a beat."

Donald McCain, trainer of Peddlers Cross, was not too disheartened and said that his chasing career will be put on hold for now.

"I think we'll have to go back over hurdles," he said. "Jason (Maguire) said he was neat and grand, but just isn't as effective over fences as hurdles.

"It was still the right idea to try it and his work has been as good as ever - he worked all over Overturn (Champion Hurdle runner-up) last week.

"We'll put him away now and maybe start off over two miles hurdling."

Trainer Martin Keighley said of runner-up Champion Court: "I think the winner is a Gold Cup horse so that was a great run and everything went to plan.

"We'll see how he comes out of the race and maybe look at Aintree and Punchestown."

Henderson Hopeful About Riverside

Nicky Henderson is hopeful that being patient with Riverside Theatre will pay dividends in Thursday's Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

The eight-year-old was a leading contender for the race last season only to be ruled out by a hairline fracture of his pelvis, an injury that kept him on the sidelines until last month.

Riverside Theatre made a victorious return to action when landing the Ascot Chase, and Henderson believes the two-mile-five-furlong trip is his optimum.

He said: "This is Riverside Theatre's trip, as he proved at Ascot, and we've been trying to get him here for two years.

"He had been off a long time and there wouldn't be a huge amount of improvement in him, but you'd think that there wouldn't need to be."

Albertas Run has won the race for the last two years and will bid for a hat-trick for trainer Jonjo O'Neill.

He held off the reopposing Kalahari King and Rubi Light in a thrilling finish in 2011, but has raced just once this term.

Although he won at Aintree back in October, big-race rider Tony McCoy admits Albertas Run has not been an easy ride to the Festival.

"He's 11 now and has been plenty hard to get right but Jonjo seems happy with him," he said.

"I hope he'll run very well but it's an open race.

"Noble Prince would have a bit more speed and the dry ground will help but Albertas Run is probably a little better stayer."

O'Neill added: "It has been slow progress with him since his last run but fingers crossed it's all gone according to plan.

"It just seems to be the right trip and AP gets on really well with him.

"He's come back from the dead, but hopefully he'll run well again."

Kalahari King has endured a similarly troubled campaign with just two outings this year.

The 11-year-old sustained a leg injury when pulled up behind Master Minded at Ascot last November but proved his wellbeing with a racecourse gallop at Doncaster at the start of the month.

No Hurricane for Mullins and Ruby

Willie Mullins remains at a loss to explain Hurricane Fly's disappointing performance when losing his crown in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday.

The 10-time Grade One winner was considered one of the bankers of the meeting in the opening day feature, but was in trouble some way out under Ruby Walsh.

The eight-year-old deserves some credit for finishing third given he was clearly not at his best and Mullins is hoping the spark returns at the Punchestown Festival next month.

"He's fine this morning. He just didn't fire on the day for what ever reason and we just look forward to the next day with him now," said Mullins.

"He'll probably go to Punchestown."

There was some compensation for the Irish champion trainer as the incredible Quevega recorded her fourth successive victory in the OLBG Mares' Hurdle.

She too is likely to be Punchestown-bound.

"Quevega is a fantastic mare and was very good again yesterday. Hopefully we can keep her going for next year," Mullins added.

"She'll go to Punchestown and we'll do what we've done for the last few years and enter her in the two-mile race and the three-mile race. We'll see which way we go nearer the time."