BALLYANDY got up in the final stride to deny Pentland Hills in a dramatic finish to Grade 2 The New One Unibet Hurdle at Haydock.

Pentland Hills was in front jumping the last, but Sam Twiston-Davies conjured a great run out of Ballyandy (5/2) – similar to that on Stolen Silver earlier on the card – to pip last season’s Triumph Hurdle hero.

Fighting Fifth victor Cornerstone Lad made a gallant bid to lead all the way, but Pentland Hills, the 2/1 favourite, was just waiting in the wings to pounce.

Nicky Henderson’s runner went on under Nico de Boinville, but he had no answer to the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Ballyandy, who snatched the spoils by a nose right on the line in the race registered as the Champion Hurdle Trial Hurdle.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE IRISH FIELD & READ ALL OUR PREMIUM CONTENT