Martello returns at Leopardstown today Trainer Mags Mullins is looking forward to seeing her Cheltenham Festival hero Martello Tower make his seasonal reappearance in the Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown today. The seven-year-old battled through the mud to claim the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle and makes his first start since then in what will be demanding conditions for the Grade One event. Mullins said: " He's unassuming at home and only does what he has to. But he has plenty done and he's well. Adrian (Heskin) gave him a pop the other day and has been down to ride work, and is very happy with him." Martello Tower is a best-priced 16-1 for the World Hurdle back at Cheltenham in March, a race for which Thistlecrack heads the market following his runaway victory in the Long Walk at Ascot. "I thought Thistlecrack was very good at Ascot. It's interesting seeing all the good ones coming out and what we might come up against later on," said Mullins. Willie Mullins has made the slightly surprising decision to step Arctic Fire up to three miles for the first time. Runner-up to stable companion Faugheen over two miles in last season's Champion Hurdle, he has won twice over two and half miles so far this season, most recently claiming his first Grade One in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse. The champion trainer considered coming back to the minimum trip for the Ryanair Hurdle on Tuesday, but with Nichols Canyon bound for that race, he has decided to split his aces. He said: " Nichols Canyon is in good order and we have him to run the following day in the Ryanair Hurdle, so it makes sense to split them up. Arctic Fire is worth a try at the trip and I think this will be his best chance to win a Grade One at the distance. "Looking at what he did at Aintree over two and a half miles, I think he'll get three miles and he handles this ground. He will get a fair test from Mouse Morris' horse (Alpha Des Obeaux). "He probably has 15lb in hand according to the handicapper. If things go right hopefully he has a stone to play with." Alpha Des Obeaux was runner-up to Arctic Fire at Fairyhouse last month, and Morris said: " He's in good form and you'd be hopeful he'd have come on for his last run. "We're stepping up to three miles, but it will probably seem like four miles with the ground being so heavy, so we'll see how we get on." A small but select field of five is completed by Gordon Elliott's Prince Of Scars and Snow Falcon from Noel Meade's yard.
