Tony Martin owner relishing 'unbelievable' Cheltenham bid with Coral Cup fancy

Aidan 'Red' Shiels has paid a glowing tribute to trainer Tony Martin after Good Time Jonny carried the US-based Irishman's colours to victory at the Dublin Racing Festival, and the colourful character believes the Coral Cup joint-favourite is exactly what his trainer deserves after a barren period.

Before Good Time Jonny's DRF victory, Martin had been without a big-race winner since Tudor City won the 2019 Galway Hurdle and, according to Shiels, a period in the wilderness wasn't down to a lack of effort.

Shiels describes Martin as one of the hardest-working men he knows and hopes the pair can revisit the sort of days they enjoyed together with Benefficient, winner of the Jewson Novices' Chase (now Turners) in 2013, and 2016 Melbourne Cup runner-up Heartbreak City.

Shiels said: "We'd love to go for the Coral Cup, but we'll leave that down to Tony. It's the Coral Cup or nothing because we're a pound too high to run in the Martin Pipe. We'd have a nice racing weight in the Coral Cup and, to have one to even think about going to Cheltenham with is unbelievable."

'Trainers have the toughest job in the world'

On his loyalty to Martin, Shiels said: "Everything is down to Tony. I've only ever bought one horse by myself and he's the only one I've owned who has never won a race. That's why we leave everything down to Tony.

"It's an awful job that Tony has at times. Those horse trainers are serious men. They have to listen to some stuff from lads in syndicates when horses are running bad. They've got to bite their tongue constantly to keep everyone happy. It's nearly a, 'what did you do for me lately' attitude from owners these days.

"Tony works seven days a week, maybe 16 or 17 hours a day, and he's putting the effort in. When you have Tony in your corner you know you have a man doing everything in his power to get the results.

"He gives it his best and sometimes it doesn't work out. Be it a bug in the yard, a bit of bad luck, some things don't go to plan in racing. You have to just stick with it. That's racing. Trainers have the toughest job in the world as far as I'm concerned."

Owner Aidan Shiels (right) celebrates Ebor glory with Heartbreak City in 2016Credit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Luck was on the side of Martin and Shiels when they came across Good Time Jonny. The horse had been to the Cheltenham sale and failed to sell for John McConnell, who subsequently worked him post-racing at Navan, catching the attention of the eagle-eyed owner.

Shiels recalls: "We were on the beer at Navan and they happened to be working horses after racing on the same day. Jamie Codd came clear on this thing and, when we asked him what the name of the horse was, he told us that, if we wanted to know anything, we needed to go and talk to John McConnell.

"Tony being Tony, he got the name of the horse within 20 minutes and we were in John's yard the following morning, we'd bought the horse."

Good Time Jonny is far from a certain starter in the Coral Cup, with Shiels pointing to the fact that the horse could have targets on home soil as well, but he is relishing having a good horse with Martin again.

He said: "Good Time Jonny fractured his pelvis after he ran in a maiden hurdle at Cork last season and he needed eight or nine months off but, even back then, Tony was adamant this horse was good. That's why Tony is a genius. He sees things in horses that we'd never see."

Shiels added: "We'll only go to Cheltenham if the horse is 100 per cent because it's the Olympics of horseracing and you don't go there unless you're in top form. The horse will tell Tony if he's ready and Tony will tell us. There's plenty of other races in Ireland as well, but sure we'd love to go to Cheltenham with a chance."

Good Time Jonny details

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