Robert Thornton chalked up his third winner of the 2008 Cheltenham Festival when steering Nenuphar Collonges to victory in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle on Friday.

The 9-1 shot, trained by Alan King, came from off the pace to lead on the run-in and go clear of Liskennett (16-1) with The Tother One (9-2 joint-favourite) third.

Carruthers took the field along to three out where he faded out of contention.

The Tother One went ahead from Siegemaster and looked like winning but he did not help Sam Thomas or his rival as he wandered all over the course.

That left Thornton to seize the initiative on Nenuphar Collonges, who went on to win by two and three-quarter lengths from Liskennett. The Tother One was just half a length back in third.

King said: "He is one of the horses I had been most looking forward to running all week. I thought he had a huge each-way chance, I knew he would be staying on up the hill when the others had cried enough."

More news from SportingLife.com

Full racecards from SportingLife.com

Fast and full results from SportingLife.com