Penzance flies the last in the Triumph (Getty Images).

By

What a difference a day made for trainer Alan King as Penzance pipped Faasel in a thrilling finish to the JCB Triumph Hurdle on the final afternoon of the Cheltenham Festival.

After seeing Crystal D'Ainay beaten out of sight in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle yesterday, he could barely bring himself to come to the course today, so low were his spirits.

But the world was looking altogether rosier as the 9-1 winner gave his owners, the Elite Racing Club, their second victory in the race after withstanding the persistent challenge of Faasel by a head.

Favourite Akilak made strong late progress to take third, eight lengths further away, with Cerium fourth in a race where the result was very much dominated by the market principals.

It was Admiral who took the 23-strong field along in the early stages and he led until after the third-last hurdle, where the race began in earnest.

Cerium then went on, but Robert Thornton was always travelling well on Penzance and soon took over the lead.

Having travelled powerfully under Tony Dobbin, Faasel appeared to be going even better and made his bid at the last, but despite taking a look at the crowd halfway up the run-in, Penzance proved up to the task.

"When I woke up this morning I really didn't want to come to Cheltenham - I was totally devastated by how Crystal D'Ainay ran yesterday," King said.

He was then reminded that he had reported backing the horse for this race earlier in the season.

He exclaimed: "I'd forgotten about that! 40-1! That makes it even sweeter, doesn't it?

"I thought the winning line was never going to come. It was the longest run-in I can ever remember, but to see him get his head in front was amazing. It means everything for the whole team.

"I have no idea about whether he will run again this season, though Aintree or Punchestown will have to be a possibility.

"He has been a great jumper from the first day he came to us from James Fanshawe. That's the key really - if they love jumping then it makes the job so much easier."

Thornton, who went on to complete a double when Moulin Riche took the following contest, had clearly shared King's concerns up the long run-in.

"All through the race I was thinking how I didn't want to hit the front too soon and even though I tried to wait as long as possible, I was beginning to wonder if I'd got it wrong halfway up the run-in," he said, dripping with sweat as temperatures reached surprising levels at the course.

"But to give the horse all the credit, he stuck his head right out for me on the line and that made the difference.

"It's a rough old race to ride in. They keep trying to cut in on you from the outside and I was just concentrating on trying to keep a position.

"But he was brilliant and just did everything I asked him to."

Given the way Faasel travelled into the home straight and then quickened when asked, Penzance turned in a really brave effort to hold off the challenge of the 7-1 runner-up.

Faasel's trainer Nicky Richards said: "I thought halfway up the hill he might have got there.

"Dobbs said he thought he was getting there and then the other fella - all credit to the winner - pulled out a bit more. It was a great battle between two nice horses.

"Ours didn't do anything wrong. He battled all the way to the line and on the day we've just been beaten by a better horse.

"He never jibbed. He kept his head down. He's a nice horse with a future and if he comes out of it okay he'll go to Aintree.

"I still can't get a winner at this meeting!"

Howard Johnson, trainer of third-home Akilak, part-owned by Newcastle United star Alan Shearer, said: "The ground has gone against him. He must have juice in the ground - unfortunately it dried up too much. But he has still run a good race.

"He will not run again this season unless he gets soft ground. I don't think he'll go to Aintree, but I'll keep him ticking over and maybe go to Punchestown if the ground was right.

"Alan is not here today - he is watching it on TV, but his wife Lainya is here."