COUNTRYWIDE FLAME set the final day of the Cheltenham Festival alight in springing a 33-1 surprise in the JCB Triumph Hurdle for North Yorkshire trainer John Quinn.

The tough four-year-old belied his small stature to beat Hisaabaat (20-1) by three lengths in the Grade 1 £100,000 contest.

Several had chances coming down the hill towards the finish but Countrywide Flame, owned by the 20-strong Estio Pinnacle racing syndicate, made up a huge amount of ground between the last two flights.

Hitting the front after the final obstacle, former Crambeck-based jockey Dougie Costello drove out his mount to the line.

A stunning Festival for Norton was later capped as Quinn’s neighbour, Malcolm Jefferson, doubled his week’s tally when Attaglance (20-1) struck in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle – giving the town its third winner of the week.

Countrywide Flame’s success was a sweet moment for Costello, who was recording his first Festival winner and missed last year’s meeting after suffering a double leg break the day before it had been due to start.

He said: “He’s tiny but he’s a tough little lad, hard as nails. All the way he kept getting squeezed by bigger horses, but every time I gave him a squeeze to hold his position, he came back on the steel.

“It was as if having to battle made him more determined and he jumped really well having to come between horses off that fast pace.

“On the turn in, I thought I might have some chance, as he was sure to stay up that hill. Going to the last, I thought I’d a great chance if he jumped it. He got under it a bit, but he got organised quickly and was never stopping.”

Once trained at Hambleton by Kevin Ryan, Countrywide Flame had shown Grade 1 potential in his previous two races and turned around the form with Hisaabaat, who he was three lengths behind in a juvenile hurdle at Leopardstown last month.

Quinn had admitted beforehand his horse would need to “find a bit” to win, but was delighted he did.

“He was well over-priced at 33-1 as he’s not run a bad race this season,” he said. “He’s very tough and hardy and stuck at it really well but he’s not very big he got buffeted about a bit through the race. Dougie gave him a great ride and got him back into the race. He’s 15.1 hands high and a fingerprint.

“When he got into the clear into the straight, the little horse flew. I’m surprised that he won but I expected him to run a good race. He stuck at it really well. I’d wondered if he was a good enough jumper for Chelten-ham but he jumped really well.”

Jefferson, meanwhile, who waited 17 years for a Cheltenham victory before Cape Tribulation scooped the Pertemps Final on Thursday, was equally thrilled with Attaglance and his rider, Harry Haynes.

He said “We’re in great form. He’s tough, genuine, easy to train – just a grand horse. I honestly thought he had a real chance. It’s been great.”