Tom Bellamy tasted success at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time as White Noise regained the winning thread in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
A three-time winner earlier in the season, she was then defeated in Grade Two company at Warwick last month, but roared back to form with a brilliant performance from the front end.
A superb leap at the last sealed victory for the 40-1 chance, who is a first Festival success for Gold Cup-winning trainer Kim Bailey in combination with training partner Mat Nicholls.
The latter said: “You’re going to have to give me a minute, I’m a bit excitable!
“She’s just improved all year long. We thought long and hard about whether we should come here or not…