MAGS MULLINS celebrated her first Cheltenham Festival winner as a trainer as Martello Tower took the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle.
Jockey Adrian Heskin, who won at the track in 2010, steered Martello Tower over the line first and Mags Mullins was delighted her horse beat her son Danny’s mount, Milsean, into second place.
“It’s brilliant, I am so delighted,” Mullins said. “I was very confident before the race as I knew he’d stay, but sometimes it’s a different league over here so you’re nervous as everything has to go right. Everything has gone right through from the time we’ve arrived and it also did during the race.
“It doesn’t always work that way. It’s great to get a winner at the Festival. I’m so excited! I’ve trained a winner here at the November meeting, but never at the Festival.”
Heskin was full of praise for trainer Mullins. “Fair play to Mrs Mullins, she had him timed to the minute and the three miles is right up his alley.
“He’s a future chaser without doubt. He’ll give all the top novices a good crack next year and hopefully we will be lucky with him."
In the Foxhunters Chase the Enda Bolger trained On the Fringe was impressive cruising to victory for jockey Nina Carberry.
