Golden effort from Chieftain as Powell rides first Festival winner

Golden Chieftain wins the JLT Specialty Handicap Chase

Golden Chieftain (28/1) stormed clear to win the JLT Specialty Handicap Chase from favourite Our Mick (13/2f).

Settled in mid division by Brendan Powell jnr, Colin Tizzard's eight-year-old could be noted travelling well off a strong pace set by Pete The Feat.

Our Mick took the lead three from home despite having made mistakes and been given reminders by Jason Maguire, but he had no answers in the closing stages as Golden Chieftain produced mighty leaps at the final two fences to win comfortably.

White Star Line (12/1) travelled well alongside Golden Chieftain for much of the race but found less for pressure to finish third, while Tullamore Dew (33/1) ensured that three of the bottom four in the weights filled three of the first four places by taking fourth.

Fruity O'Rooney rallied for fifth ahead of Nuts N Bolts.

Tizzard said: "It all went to plan. We were half-worried he wouldn't get the trip - we didn't even know he was good enough to win a handicap at Cheltenham like this.

"Brendan has been good for a long time now, but he's getting better all the time.

"He's a cool boy, he's always in the right position and he listens. It's super when it all works out."Powell said: "It's unbelievable - it hasn't sunk in. Everything that could have gone right did.

"He is a very classy horse and, in fairness to him, he probably was well handicapped.

"Things haven't gone right for him in the past, but he travelled superb and jumped brilliant and everything just clicked.

"I phoned up Joe (Tizzard, trainer's son) last night asking for a lift to Cheltenham and he asked me what rides I had. He didn't realise Golden Chieftain had got in, but thank goodness he did."