Jango Baie (5-1) came with a fantastic late run to win the Grade 1 My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase.
The three-quarters of a length win over the Gavin Cromwell-trained Only By Night, was a 50th Grade 1 for jockey Nico de Boinville.
The race’s 1/2 favourite Majborough could only manage third, a further short-head behind the runner-up.
Commenting on his 74th Cheltenham Festival victory, Nicky Henderson admitted:
“We have said the whole way through that this is not a two mile horse. If the Turners would have been here like last year then I suspect I know what we would have been in and I suspect Ballyburn might have come into that as well.
“He wants two and a half miles. We thought we were going to make the running, but he had no chance because he couldn’t go fast enough it was as simple as that. He was flat to the boards the whole way.”
Trainer of the runner-up Gavin Cromwell was satisfied with his mare’s effort, stating:
“She ran a great race and I’m really happy with her. I don’t have an idea what we’ll do with her next – this was the plan.”
