Report from Punchestown: Roger Loughran returned to a Cheltenham-style reception when Central House won at Punchestown yesterday and the jockey who made all the wrong sort of headlines over Christmas is now hoping for the real deal at next month's festival.

It was Loughran's first afternoon back since his infamous display of premature celebration at Leopardstown and Central House bridged the 40-day gap in storybook style with a decisive success in the Byrne Group Tied Cottage Chase.

There was no mistaking the winning post this time by the 26-year-old Meath jockey, so much so that some wags immediately wondered aloud if Loughran was going to try another circuit! But instead he returned to a tumultuous reception from the 4,521 strong crowd that began with massive applause and ended with three cheers.

"The public have been brilliant to me, and the boss (Dessie Hughes) and the owner (John Kenny) have been great the whole way," said Loughran. "That day is all a blur but it's behind me now," he added. "I just had to stick my head up and work away. Having everyone behind me helped.

"Dessie Hughes is a very fair man and he's stood behind me the whole way - he's been brilliant.

"Dessie told me he can go along at any pace I wanted and that's what I did today on him. He could have done with some company but he's picked up twice for me in the straight."

Yesterday was the 42nd winner of Loughran's career and his first as a professional. Now he will be hoping that Central House can deliver the biggest success of all and the Hughes runner is back in the Champion Chase market at a general 10 to 1.

"He can go two miles at pace and keep it up," said Hughes. "He petered out in the race last year but he is stronger now. I'm sure he'll hold his form better this time."

Back in third was the novice Accordion Etoile whose trainer Paul Nolan said: "I delighted with that. He blew up on the turn in and gave a good heave. It's straight to the Arkle."

Watson Lake faded to fourth but Noel Meade was not disappointed and said: "After being held up so much and missing a lot of work it's no surprise he blew up."

Certainly there was worse news for the champion trainer in the novice hurdle where the runner-up Iktitaf was ruled out of Cheltenham after picking up a leg injury.

"He has a bad gash to his near-fore knee. It looks like it needs about 10 stitches. He is definitely out of Cheltenham but I don't know about the rest of the season," said Meade.

Mounthenry finished a length and a half clear of Iktitaf to score a third course win from four starts and provide jockey Andrew McNamara with the opening leg of a double completed by Just who overcame a mistake at the fourth last in the handicap chase to win comfortably.

Sublimity was a well beaten fourth in the novice hurdle and his trainer John Carr reported the horse had returned an "abnormal" scope. Sublimity's rider Philip Carberry had better luck in the National Trial where the 16 to 1 outsider Kings Glen brought back memories of the 1999 Aintree hero Bobbyjo who was also owned by Robert Burke and trained by Carberry's father Tommy.

The inaugural PP Hogan Chase over the banks went to the second favourite Native Jack who set himself up for a tilt at the Sporting Index Chase at Cheltenham by beating Never Compromise and the favourite Buailtes And Fadas.

David Casey added to a Fairyhouse treble on Saturday with a narrow win on the well-backed Well Mounted in the maiden hurdle.

"He was entitled to do that. He's a nice horse who ran into a very good maiden at Christmas," said Well Mounted's trainer Arthur Moore. "We will see if he goes novice chasing or handicap hurdling next season."

Shady Willow became the latest Willie Mullins-trained horse to figure in the Cheltenham bumper betting after making an impressive winning debut in the last.

One firm went as low as 7 to 1 about the all the way scorer and Cashmans cut the price about the Mullins yard winning the festival prize for the sixth time to just 2 to 1.

"He'll be entered for Cheltenham but the bumper here at Punchestown in April is actually worth more and he's a course and distance winner now," Mullins said.