What an incredible 24 hours for trainer Nicky Henderson.

After saddling Constitution Hill to victory in front of a bumper crowd at Kempton on Boxing Day, the Seven Barrows maestro made it 11 times he has won the Wayward Lad Novices Chase after a scintillating performance from Sir Gino on his chase debut at the Sunbury-on-Thames track on Friday.

For the second day running Henderson inflicted an emphatic defeat on Willie Mullins after Sir Gino trounced his main rival Ballyburn by 7 ½ lengths in visibility reduced by fog.

It was always going to be a contest between the two rivals with Ballyburn already having had a run over fences at Punchestown a month ago.

The burning question on everyone’s lips was how will Sir Gino jump around Kempton. The question was vigorously answered with four fences to go when a gigantic leap from the four-year-old sent out a gasp of delight from another mega crowd.

From then on it looked like only one winner, with ears pricked all the way round the course the result was never in doubt with the horse stretching his unbeaten record to six.

Henderson has always maintained this horse can jump.

"It was frightening," said Henderson. "I think he learned over the first couple of fences and then leading wasn't the plan. We thought we'd sit on Ballyburn's tail and wait until the straight to have a crack, but he was just so exuberant and he was having fun.

"So far he's done nothing wrong and he's unblemished. He's always been a very, very talented horse and he has so much scope. This has nothing to do with Constitution Hill, but luckily it has told us who goes where."

In the other big race on the card, the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase was won by 16-1 outsider Soul Icon, who stormed through the gloom to win by 3 ½ lengths for trainer Keiran Burke.

Seeking a hat-trick of wins in the race, Editeur Du Gite set off at a aggressive pace before 2022 winner Edwardstone took over at the third last, only to see Soul Icon running on nicely to take the honours.

Elsewhere, it was a magnificent 48 hours for jockey Ben Jones. Having made a Grade 1 breakthrough on Thursday, he added a double on the card by steering Knight Templar in the opener and Ooh Betty in the finale to victory.

Front runner Della Casa Lunga prevailed in the 3m mares handicap hurdle for trainer Clive Boultbee-Brooks with Richard Patrick aboard.

The six-year-old had previously finished second in a listed race at the same course, and looked well at home in this easier handicap.

Beachcomber ran away with the 3m handicap chase under Richie McLernon for the successful O’Neill yard.

The six-year-old was pulled up recently at Cheltenham, but got into a front running rhythm in first-time blinkers to record his first chase success.

"The blinkers definitely helped him out," joint-trainer AJ O'Neill said. "He jumped very well. Rich got him in a lovely rhythm from quite early on, he was able to dictate as he wanted to, and I think going right-handed definitely helped as well.”

By Peter Moore