Paul Nicholls had a glint in his eye and mischief in mind as he took great delight in giving the new definition of ‘Fergie Time’.

Sir Alex Ferguson and his pals had just seen Il Ridoto, trained by Nicholls and ridden by 18-year-old Freddie Gingell, sweep up the Cheltenham to take the Paddy Power Gold Cup, concluding a quite remarkable 24 hours for the former Manchester United manager.

It had started on Friday with Potter’s Charm, trained by Nigel and Willie Twiston-Davies, running away with a Grade Two Novice Hurdle, then featured Richard Fahey’s Spirit Dancer showing his rivals a clean pair of heels to win the Bahrain International Trophy for the second consecutive year.

L’Eau Du Sud, a handsome grey trained by Dan Skelton, kickstarted Saturday in the Cotswolds with an outstanding display of jumping in the Grade Two Arkle Trial before Il Ridoto outran odds of 10/1 to become Nicholls’s fourth winner of this historic two-and-a-half mile handicap.

‘They have had a great time,’ Nicholls, who also saddled the favourite, Ginny’s Destiny, who failed to finish. ‘They are a great bunch of lads – Alex, John Hales, Ged Mason, Paul Hogarth. We’ve got some nice ones to run for them. They’ve got a great squad… probably the best one Alex has had in years!’

What his old team would do for a flurry of success of this nature. Ferguson wasn’t on course, as he was still in Bahrain toasting the incredible performance of Spirit Dancer, whose electric change of gear enabled him to plunder a pot of £472,440.94. 

Spirit Dancer won the Bahrain International Trophy for a second successive year

That seven-year-old means the world to him – he was the first horse bred at Ferguson’s stud in Hemel Hempstead – but, as a man who was never afraid to give youth a chance, he would have got a huge kick from watching Gingell delivering such a polished display in the saddle.

Gingell is destined for great things and this was another reminder why: Il Ridoto never missed a beat, was always in a good position and capitalised emphatically when his partner let him loose around the home turn; carrying just 10st 2lbs, he was never going to be caught by runner-up Ga Law.

He is due a nice percentage of the £84,405 first prize but Gingell – who lost his mother, Kim, four years ago – is grounded and happily revealed it would be going “into my savings for a rainy day” – as for celebrations, his idea of a wild night will take you be surprise.

‘I’m really into farming,’ said Gingell, proudly. ‘When I get home, I’ll do some hedge-trimming or ploughing. Serious! I love other sports, I love cricket, but I wouldn’t be into football. After wearing these colours, I probably should be! This is what you dream of doing.’

Nicholls, similarly, was also dreaming. Il Ridoto certainly isn’t the best horse he trains for Ferguson’s syndicate and the arrival of rain will see him launch the campaigns of Caldwell Potter and Regent’s Stroll, two horses who were bought to potential win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

‘I saw Willie (Twiston-Davies) spent some of their winnings on Friday,’ said Nicholls, with another smile, referencing the £180,000 cheque that Ferguson agreed to sign for promising four-year-old called Un Sens A La Vie at the Cheltenham November Sales. ‘I’ve told him I’m going to do the same!’

It was that kind of afternoon, when you could get swept along in the promise of what might be in the future. East India Dock, trained by James Owen, was a brilliant winner of the Triumph Hurdle Trial but no horse impressed more than the strong travelling L’Eau Du Sud.

‘Alex is brilliant,’ said Skelton, who leads the Trainers Championship. ‘So are Ged, John; they’re a brilliant team. They want me to be Champion because I have always wanted to do it. They are invested in this. And believe me – he’ll tell you when you’ve wrong as well!’

There it was, the quest for perfection: even aged 82, old habits die hard. Ferguson’s hunger for winning remains as strong as ever.