Image © Healy Racing
Shane Cotter enjoyed a fairytale Cheltenham Festival victory when he guided Ask Brewster to a narrow victory in the Rosconn Group Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir.
The 2024 champion under-21 point-to-point rider had only previously ridden one winner under rules, with the hunter chase success of Bartlemy Boy at Killarney last year, and the call-up to ride the Cath Williams-trained seven-year-old was his first ride in Britain.
There were no signs of his inexperience around the famed Prestbury Park venue as he had his mount to the fore throughout the 3m2f contest.
Having led the field through the early stages, the 19-year-old was headed at the tenth, however he was back in the lead again five fences later, a position he held over the remaining seven fences.
That was despite Patrick Mullins joining him aboard Road To Home on the run-in, before the Ballynoe native cajoled his mount back to the front inside the dying strides to prevail by a neck.
%uD83D%uDCAA Ask Brewster gamely lands the Kim Muir pic.twitter.com/fVkNFSCqp7
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2026
“It was unbelievable,” Cotter declared. “As a child watching it on the telly you can only dream of being here, of just having a ride, let alone a winner.
“I’m lost for words; I don’t know what to say. I can’t thank Evan Williams enough. All his team have produced the horse beautifully for today, and he jumped and travelled everywhere.
“I watched a few replays, and any time he was in front, he seemed to love it and winged his fences. I jumped him out nice and handy, and he ran away nearly to the first, and I knew it was his day then. He was very game when Patrick came to us.
“I’ve dreamt of this since I was seven or eight. I ride out for Denis Murphy six days a week, and he’s very good to me.
“I’ve ridden 20-odd winners in point-to-points, and I’ve only one winner on the track at home, so hopefully after this people might start using me. T
“his is my very first ride in England - it’s unbelievable. All my family are here - everyone’s here!”
