22 jumps in this race - the field are safely over the first four and Coneygree has pushed out boldly for an early lead.

Image source, PA

McCoy's on Carlingford Lough. The favourite for this one is Silviniaco Conti though - ridden by Noel Fehily.

Former Gold Cup winning jockey Andrew Thornton tells BBC Radio 5 Live: "Tony McCoy is the first jockey to get on his horse in the parade ring and almost doing a lap of honour out there. He will be in his own little world taking it all in and he won't be thinking about the future - just what he can do to get his horse from A to B. You can feel the tension rising out there."

Holywell's trainer Jonjo O'Neill on BBC Radio 5 live: "The horse loves Cheltenham and is in great form. He would prefer better ground - we didn't want the rain last night. He's not the biggest and jumps better on better ground. He is in great shape and I am hopeful. For a trainer it is great to have a runner - it is one of the peaks of the season."

Let's not forget that McCoy will be racing again at 17:15 GMT in the appropriately named AP McCoy Grand Annual Chase, but this is the big one.

They're trotting down to the starting line, past the jam-packed stands. 65,000 are here today. How many of those will be supporting McCoy?

He's won it twice before, in 1997 and 2012. What an end it would be, to end a glittering career with a win like this.

Many Clouds' owner Trevor Hemmings tells BBC Radio 5 live: "He is a special horse in a good race. All you can do is hope all things come together. He is a lovely horse and is like a family member. You can see how quiet he is but he comes alive on a racetrack and the weather makes it his type of ground."

Image source, PA

Zara Philips and husband Mike Tindall are among the spectators gathering ahead of the off at 15:20 GMT.

The stewards have looked back through the footage of the battle for second and third place between Milsean and No More Heroes and they're happy.

The result stands then, and just to confirm it's Martello Tower who wins, Milsean in second and No More Heroes in third.

BBC Sport 's Frank Keogh at Cheltenham

Image source, Reuters

"Stewards are looking into possible interference between runners in the closing stages of the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, but the inquiry does not affect the winner.

"If the full result stands, jockey Danny Mullins (on runner-up Milsean) has been denied victory by his mother Marget, who trains Martello Tower.

"Margaret is the sister-in law of leading trainer Willie Mullins, who has a joint record seven wins this week and saddled Milsean."

Just in case you didn't know by the way, you can listen to BBC Radio 5 live's coverage of the afternoon's racing by using the Live Coverage tab at the top of this page. John Inverdale will be fronting the insight and analysis.

Or you can just use the old wireless of course. More details on our coverage here.

BBC 5 live commentator Luke Harvey: "All of Martello Tower's wins have been on soft ground. It is testing out there and in the Gold Cup it will suit soft ground performers. Over the first three days we saw horses sprint to the line but it is different today."

Martello Tower's trainer Margaret Mullins who is the sister-in-law of Willie Mullins told BBC Radio 5 Live: "He is so tough and just goes. I'm so excited - it is great."

There is a steward's enquiry to settle second and third - no doubt about the winner though. It's the 14-1 chance Martello Tower, whose jockey Adrian Heskin has been speaking to Channel 4: "He's a real tough horse. His ears pricked up with two jumps to go as if to say: 'I've still got a lot left in me.' I just got stuck into him and he delivered. On the ground I was afraid he might have done just a bit too much too early. But we enjoyed it."

It's Martello Tower who claims it, just edging ahead of Milsean, who led for most of the race.

No More Hereos also came up strong to finish in third.

Black Hercules, ridden by Ruby Walsh is making up ground as Milsean leads the field.

Two to jump.

BBC Sport 's Frank Keogh at Cheltenham

"Silviniaco Conti may have a disappointing record at Cheltenham - third, fell, fourth - but he is favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after winning the King George VI Chase for a second time in December.

"And bookmakers face a big payout if the Paul Nicholls-trained runner wins the blue riband event (15:20 GMT).

"Kate Miller, of William Hill, said: 'We will be about £1m down if he wins, with Carlingford Lough (£400,000) and Road To Riches (£320,000) also carrying big liabilities.

"We're cheering for outsiders like Smad Place and Boston Bob. That sort of result would see us about £1m up."

There's been two winners today already - Peace And Co the 2-1 favourite gave trainer Nicky Henderson his sixth success in the JCB Triumph Hurdle after a hard-fought battle with stable companions Top Notch and Hargam.

And the 25-1 chance Wicklow Brave ran out an impressive winner in the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle - a seventh win of the week for Willie Mullins, which equals Henderson's record.

Black Hercules is the favourite for this one.

BBC Sport 's Frank Keogh at Cheltenham

"Champion jockey AP McCoy's father Peadar is at the Gloucestershire track to see his son ride for the last time at the Cheltenham Festival.

"He told me: 'I'm very relaxed. After he won on Uxizandre yesterday, that was a big relief, and he gave him a great ride.

"AP's mum Claire will be watching on the telly back home in County Antrim. She'll be a nervous wreck."

McCoy rides Fletchers Fly in this one, trained by Harry Fry.

Yesterday McCoy won his first race of this year's fixture, riding Uxizandre to victory in the Ryanair Chase.

It's a sell-out today at with 65,000 waiting to witness one last piece of racing history.