NICKY Henderson was crowned the King of the Cheltenham Festival after a fabulous four-timer on day two of the meeting.

The Lambourn handler scooped a championship race double when Bobs Worth won the RSA Chase and Finian's Rainbow claimed a dramatic sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Earlier, Henderson had passed the late Fulke Walwyn's record of 40 Festival winners when Simonsig (2-1 fav) won the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle.

He struck again in the penultimate contest as Une Artiste sprang a 40-1 surprise in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle.

Bobs Worth (9-2) battled back to form in stunning style to win the RSA Chase but the strongly fancied Grands Crus (6-5 fav) was a massive disappointment.

Thumped by Grands Crus by five lengths in the Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, Bobs Worth looked to have his work cut out, especially when the favourite joined him at the third last.

But it was Grands Crus who was the first to crack, leaving Henderson's horse and First Lieutenant to fight it out after the pair jumped the final fence stride for stride.

Bobs Worth shot up the hill to win by two-and-a-half lengths and add to his victory in last year's Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

Henderson said: "He is a tough horse and it was a great ride. We have had our problems with him and everyone has worked incredibly hard.

"It was a long road to get him back and these days are very special."

The even shorter priced Sizing Europe (4-5 fav) could not cope with Finian's Rainbow's guts and determination in an action packed Champion Chase.

Kauto Stone, half-brother to Friday's Gold Cup contender Kauto Star, fell at the first and Wishfull Thinking left jockey Richard Johnson and a group of spectators pole-axed when crashing out in front of the stands.

It meant the final fence was omitted and Sizing Europe's jockey Andrew Lynch had to take evasive action to swerve round the obstacle.

Finian's Rainbow (4-1), with Barry Geraghty on board, took the diversion in stride and kept on gamely to beat last year's champion by a length and a quarter.

Henderson added: "I've never had a day like this, but there's a long way to go and there are two more days to come. This is very special.

"It doesn't happen without a lot of people doing an enormous amount of work. I only drive the ship, there's a huge team at home."

Geraghty, who also rode Simonsig and Bobs Worth, said of the Champion Chase: "When you go to Cheltenham you're happy with one winner.

"It's days like this you dream about when you're a kid with your ponies, and when you're an adult too, come to that."