Liberthine puts in a great leap (Getty Images).

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Liberthine gave trainer Nicky Henderson his third winner of the 2005 Cheltenham Festival when causing a 25-1 upset in the Mildmay Of Flete Handicap Chase on Thursday.

The six-year-old, ridden by amateur Sam Waley-Cohen, galloped on stoutly up the hill to beat Banker Count by seven lengths, with Simply Gifted third and the favourite Brooklyn Breeze fourth.

Supreme Prince, Banker Count and Scots Grey set a strong early pace, while Waley-Cohen was content to stay at the rear of the field on his father Robert's six-year-old mare.

Supreme Prince dropped away before falling at the 11th fence, where Ghadames went on from Scots Grey and Brooklyn Breeze, who was full of running.

Tony Dobbin set sail for home at the third-last fence and the gamble on Lenny Lungo's gelding, backed down from 7-1 to 9-2 market leader, looked like being landed.

However, he faded rapidly after the second-last and was headed by Liberthine, who settled the issue with a good jump at the final fence.

Henderson was quick to pay tribute to Waley-Cohen.

"You won't see an amateur go out there against the professionals and do a better job than that," he said.

"They were obviously going too quick for her early on and Sam crept and crept round the inside. He got her travelling, got her jumping and never panicked."

The winning jockey said: "I never thought the leaders were getting away from me, but we just weren't getting any closer to them.

"She jumps like a stag and she's not had that many races. She just went up that hill like a runaway train. She romped up that hill.

"I turned round and wondered where the others were. She's a brilliant mare."

"He jumped superbly apart from one mistake, which knocked him back, and I put my binoculars down as I thought that was it. But he came back - he's fantastic."

Asked whether the 13-year-old might be retired, she added: "There is no reason to stop with him. He is enjoying his racing, and running so consistently. He could go to Aintree, probably for a three-mile race."

Lungo said of Brooklyn Breeze: "I was delighted with him. He just ran out of petrol. He had five gallons in the tank and he could have done with five and a half."