Stellar Story pipped The Jukebox Man on the line in a thrilling finish to the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Sam Ewing and Stellar Story pounced in the very last stride to inflict Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle agony on Harry Redknapp and Ben Pauling at the Cheltenham Festival.
Pauling's 18-1 outsider had led the field along from flag fall in the hands of Kielan Woods, with Gordon Elliott's shock 33-1 winner one of those to track the pace setter.
The sedate early pace saw plenty in with chances as the runners descended towards two out, but one by one they dropped away as Woods upped the tempo aboard The Jukebox Man and made his bid for home.
Pauling's charge held the advantage running down to the last, but the six-year-old got in tight and gave Ewing and Stellar Story a glimmer of hope and they took full advantage, rallying to reel in the brave runner-up in the shadow of he post.
It was Elliott's second success of the week following on from Teahupoo's Stayers' Hurdle triumph on Thursday, but for young rider Ewing it was not only a first Cheltenham Festival success but also a maiden strike at Grade One level.
Ewing said: "Absolutely brilliant. He's a horse that jumps very well, he loved that ground today and he battled very hard for me. He was brilliant at the last as well, when we needed it, so I can't believe it."
Winning owner Michael O'Leary said: "We were very surprised and it makes up for a disappointing day yesterday, when my wife kept presenting trophies to other owners and wouldn't give me any.
"It's a great training performance by Gordon - this horse was supposed to go to Aintree, we only put him on the box two nights ago because Croke Park was taken out, so he was very much the reserve.
"It was a very strange race; we thought something would come from the back but the front two horses stayed in front the whole way round."