Martello Tower, left© Photo Healy Racing
Martello Tower rallied to win the Grade 3 novice hurdle and give jockey Danny Mullins a double at Limerick. Measureofmydreams led, but was headed by Martello Tower before the second last. As Measureofmydreams weakened out of contention, the 8/11 favourite Outlander loomed large.
Outlander grabbed a narrow initiative coming to the last and still held it on the run-in, however, Martello Tower on his inside rallied late on and got up by a neck at 5/2.
Owner Barry Connell said: "A three-runner race, but a quality race. We had to give 6lbs to the other two horses for a Grade 3 win.
"He has great heart and battled back well. Hopefully it is onwards and upwards. He'€™s never going to be a horse that will win by more than a small margin."
€Danny Mullins said: "He was very tough. My mother did a great job after his fall the last day. It was a heavy fall and we feared the worst when it happened.
"I think there will be plenty more big days in this fellow. He'€™s not quite a Faugheen who won it last year. He'€™ll need to step up to go to Cheltenham, but in fairness he has been stepping up so far."
Martello Tower, trained by Mags Mullins, was priced at 20/1 on first show by Paddy Power for the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
