'I can't believe what I've seen' - Nicholls in shock by National Spirit finish

Give William Henry an uphill challenge and he will provide a roaring finish.

The ten-year-old famously foiled Wicklow Brave in the 2019 Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival and on Sunday he scaled new heights with another amazing effort to win his first Grade 2 in the Stella Artois National Spirit Hurdle, taking his career earnings past £200,000 in the process.

Watch the finish to an astonishing race

The veteran also bridged some big gaps in the Fontwell feature, becoming only the second ten-year-old to win the race. The other was Champion Hurdle legend Comedy Of Errors in 1977. He was also giving trainer Nicky Henderson a second winner of the race, 27 years after Flown prevailed.

All this looked unlikely when William Henry toiled in the wake of favourite Thomas Darby and Quel Destin, who duelled from the third-last, pulling clear of Nico de Boinville's mount on the run to the final flight.

With the leading pair starting to tread water on the heavy ground, William Henry started to inch closer, and meeting the sharp incline on the run-in he sailed past his rivals under his slightly shaken rider.

William Henry, Nico de Boinville and Hannah Ryan after victory in the National Spirit Hurdle at FontwellCredit: Steve Davies

De Boinville said: "It was a surprise but we know he has a good finish as he showed in winning his Coral Cup. I thought we were beaten after the first hurdle – I don't think he was enjoying the ground.

"I thought I'd just have to settle down and ride him for third, but he turned off the all-weather and seemed to pick up and came there with a wet sail, but I do think the others just stopped in front.

"He's won a Coral Cup, a Lanzarote and he keeps surprising us winning big races."

The shockwaves reverberated around the unsaddling enclosure as Paul Nicholls, trainer of runner-up Quel Destin, whose season's target had been centred around the race, said: "I can't quite believe what I've seen."

The task facing William Henry at the festival

Six of the previous ten National Spirit Hurdle winners – Celestial Halo (2011), Prospect Wells (2013), Kayf Moss (2014), Kilcooley (2015), Camping Ground (2017) and Old Guard (2018) – did not run at the Cheltenham Festival the following month.

Even the four who did compete – Trenchant (2010), Third Intention (2012), Lil Rockerfeller (2016) and Vision Des Flos (2019) – did not threaten the places at jump racing’s biggest four days.

William Henry could follow the My Way De Solzen route as he has an entry in the Stayers' Hurdle, but the 2006 winner is the only horse to land both prizes in the same season.

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