'I thought we were cooked' - Johnny's Jury sweeps from last to first to win the Albert Bartlett

Johnny's Jury powered up the Cheltenham hill when going from last to first to win the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle under Gavin Sheehan.

The 20-1 shot trailed the field from the start of the 3m Grade 1 contest, but pinged off the bend and swept into contention heading to the final flight, jumping the last in fifth before chasing down Fruit De Mer and The Passing Wife to win by a length and a half.

The six-year-old failed to make the cut for the Turners Novices' Hurdle earlier in the week but the decision by Jamie Snowden to step him up in trip proved inspired. Johnny's Jury provided the trainer with his first win of the week with his final festival runner, with Sheehan also enjoying his first strike at this year's meeting at the eighth attempt.

A post-race unseat when Johnny's Jury was spooked after the line did little to dampen Sheehan's mood. The jockey celebrated his first Grade 1 success since landing the Sefton Novices' Hurdle for Snowden at the Grand National meeting last April.

"That was unbelievable," said Sheehan. "I thought at the start our chances were cooked, to be honest with you.

"At the start the horse in front of me was turned sideways and I had nowhere to go so I had to wait. Then as soon as I went to go forward the tapes went up and I'm not up there. I'm last and doing a lot of swearing on the way to the first."

The unlikely triumph prompted raucous scenes in the paddock as the Blazing Blues Rc Hurlers On The Ditch syndicate celebrated their success.

"It's amazing," said owner Declan Kelly. "We left on the boat on Monday. Johnny was meant to run in the Turners, but didn't get in, so we are here Friday for the Albert Bartlett.

"We always knew he was good. He won at Exeter, there's a hill. He went to Carlisle, he came up the hill. He's come to Cheltenham and he came up the hill.

"He's related to Appreciate It, so the breeding was there. I'm hardly able to talk. It was Johnnywho on Tuesday, it's Johnny's Jury today!"

Johnny's Jury charges home to win the Albert BartlettCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Willie Mullins was bidding for a second win on the bounce in the Albert Bartlett but favourite Doctor Steinberg failed to fire, having raced keenly under Paul Townend before tailing off before the home bend.

The 9-4 shot was one of nine pulled-up runners in the stamina-sapping contest, with all bar one of the 13 finishers coming home at double-figure odds.

"It's fabulous, just wonderful," said Snowden. "We never planned to be at the back – it was a bit of a mess at the start once again, but he's travelled through the race, jumped great and there's no better man in the saddle than Gav.

"We've gone through a lot of things in the past few years, and it's wonderful to have another Grade 1 winner and certainly at Cheltenham – it's amazing."

Read more from day four of the Cheltenham Festival:

Gallant Gaelic Warrior oozes class as he canters to Cheltenham Gold Cup glory for Willie Mullins and 'speechless' Paul Townend

'Go on my son!' - 50-1 shot Apolon De Charnie strikes for Mullins

'Willie will have more runners today than I've got in training' - Adam Nicol overjoyed with Minella Study third in Triumph