Ballyalton returned to his best form to claim the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

The nine-year-old had failed to win in four previous starts over fences after finishing second to Faugheen in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle in 2014.

He showed that he had fully got over his heavy fall at Ascot last month to strike for trainer Ian Williams.

Ballyalton (12-1) was challenged hard by Bouvreuil (14-1) at the last, but he battled on courageously for Brian Hughes to get the verdict by half a length.

The always-prominent Double Shuffle (8-1) was four and a half lengths away third with Bridgets Pet (33-1) fourth.

Williams was celebrating his first Festival success and said: "It's been a long time coming. It was absolutely brilliant to be fair for a horse that has not been a good jumper - Brian Hughes gave him a great ride.

"He is such a good horse he didn't deserve to be here off 140 and that gave us confidence in this race - if he jumped and jumped we knew he would be up there.

"He has been second so many times. It's not the Gold Cup, but it's my Gold Cup. It's my first Cheltenham Festival winner and it's a great feeling.

"I must say when he got headed up the run-in I was anxious, but for him to battle back he did well.

"Without doubt he will have another run this year as he likes better ground as that is what he has been waiting for."

Hughes said: "I probably didn't appreciate the last winner I had here but I will appreciate that today.

"He had a bad fall the last day but I spoke to the jockeys who've ridden him before and they said he's a good jumper.

"Ascot is a sticky place for a novice to jump round and he's obviously learned from it.

"Going back to his hurdling form he chased home Faugheen in the Neptune so off a mark off 140 there was always a chance he was well in.

"He jumped from fence to fence. Ian told me just to pop him, get a position and sit as handy as you can without doing too much.

"He jumped very well and had a good look at the last when Bouvreuil jumped by me, but I always knew he'd get back up."