Novice Fork Lightning (7/1) made full use of a decent handicap mark to win the William Hill National Hunt Chase on day one at Cheltenham 2004.
The grey had been considered a candidate for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase earlier in the campaign but trainer Alan King decided to take the handicap option with him and it paid off handsomely.
He jumped into contention at the top of the hill and made good progress to take over from Kelami at the second last.
Shardam (11/2) made his bid for glory once into the home straight but could not find the reserves to get on terms and was defeated by two lengths with Royal Auclair (7/1) third.
The victory gave King his first Festival success.
Dark Stranger set a strong pace which had several of his rivals crying enough,
including Marlborough, who was pulled up on the second circuit, while favourite
Haut Cercy was never close enough to get in a blow and jumped sketchily.
French raider Kelami went on four fences from home, but he had no more to give
when challenged by Fork Lightning on one side and Shardam on the other.
Fork Lightning forged clear and hung on grimly up the hill after drifting over
towards the stands side approaching the final fence.
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