There is no stopping trainer Willie Mullins, who pulled off a 62/1 four-timer on day one of the Cheltenham Festival when taking the OLBG Mares' Hurdle with Glens Melody.

In doing so he equalled Nicky Henderson's record of four winners in one afternoon at the meeting, set on day two in 2012.

Taking some of the shine off the moment for Mullins was that Annie Power, who he also trains, and who was sent off the 1/2 favourite, crumpled when landing over the last hurdle, when apparently in full control. Jockey Ruby Walsh was quickly on his feet, but the race-changing exit left 6/1 chance Glens Melody in front and she duly held on to beat Polly Peachum and Bitofapuzzle by a head and a neck.

Mullins said: "It's rare to have four runners on a day like this, let alone four winners - I keep saying to myself, 'enjoy it while it lasts'. You couldn't write a script like that, but I just knew that all the horses were doing everything right. We had no sickness, no virus, no bad weather - it was going scarily well, and I thought coming here it was either going to be a great success or a blow-out."

Of Glens Melody he said: "I thought she was going to get caught up the hill, but she held on, and Annie is up and Ruby is up so it all looks okay. I just felt Ruby stood off at the hurdle, probably through going too well, and clipped the top.

"Ruby set her alight and she took off, but I was shaking so much I couldn't really see."

Glens Melody was second to another Mullins' supermare, Quevega, in last year's race, and he added: "I'm delighted for [owner/breeder] Fiona McStay, who decided to keep her mare in training to come back for this race, and it's worked out fantastically well.

"I'm also pleased for Paul [Townend, who rode the winner]. He is second jockey, but has gained his reward today and ridden a winner at The Festival."

Fiona McStay, who owns Glens Melody, is also the seven-year-old daughter of King's Theatre's breeder.

She said: "She was second here behind Quevega last year, and she was to be retired after such a good run, but we decided to give this race one more go this year. We didn't think we'd be taking Annie Power on!"

Glens Melody will retire to the paddocks at the end of this season. Fiona McStay has four of Glens Melody's siblings, but their dam Glens Music died this year.

"To retire now on the back of a Cheltenham win is what you dream of; it doesn't get any better than that," said McStay. "She'll finish the season out but then that's it. I have a few of the family coming behind her - I have a full-sister now with Willie, so we'll see if she has any of her sister's ability. When you are breeding them, it's very special to see them do so well - I bucket-fed her as a foal because she was very timid in the field with the others.

"But as a racehorse she's gutsy, genuine and honest and has never ran a race where she hasn't put 100% into it. She's a really tough mare. I've been there for every race she has run - I've never missed one. She's never disappointed.

"This is a dream of a lifetime - everybody wants to win at Cheltenham and I can't believe we are standing here in the winner's enclosure."

The Nicky Henderson-trained Polly Peachum was just denied a famous victory in a dramatic finish to the OLBG Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.

The race looked at the mercy of the 1/2 favourite Annie Power as she headed to the final flight several lengths clear of her rivals. However, she misjudged the hurdle and took a crashing fall, leaving stablemate Glens Melody to fight out the finish with Polly Peachum and Bitofapuzzle.

Henderson's mare tried to resist the challenge of eventual winner Glens Melody as the line approached but couldn't quite hold on, going down by a head with Bitofapuzzle a neck back in third.

"We're very pleased with her," said Henderson.

"It looked like we were all playing for second place but, even with that window open after what happened at the last, we still couldn't quite get there!"

Trainer Harry Fry was also happy with the performance of third-placed Bitofapuzzle.

"She's run well," said Fry. "It's a shame what happened to Annie Power. We're very pleased with our filly though."

Cause Of Causes was a fifth Irish-trained winner of the day when landing the four-mile chase under Jamie Codd for trainer Gordon Elliott. The 8/1 winner is owned by J.P. McManus, who was celebrating his 64th birthday.

Trainer Neil Mulholland saddled his first Cheltenham Festival winner when The Druids Nephew romped home in the Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase.

Barry Geraghty rode the 8/1 winner, who beat Grand Gesture by three and three-quarters of a length, with Gallant Oscar third a further length and a half behind. Gary Elisia, representing the winning, four-strong syndicate The Stonehenge Druids, was at Cheltenham today on his stag party - he is getting married in two months' time.

Mulholland, who trains at Limpley Stoke near Bath, said: "There have been no hiding places for this horse because every race is so competitive - we're delighted it's all come good.

"This is our World Cup and this is where we want to be - it's the big stage and we're on it today. It's a fantastic feeling and will take a while to sink in.

"We ran him over hurdles last time to give him a little freshen up - I told Barry he has solid handicap form and we know he stays. Barry's a great big-race jockey and he proved that again today.

"We've been at our current yard for two and a half years and we had 48 winners last year and 53 this time. We put in a new spa and flat gallop in the last year and a half and you can see you are getting that little bit more out of the horses."

The Druids Nephew is a leading fancy for next month's Crabbie's Grand National, but when asked about that race, Mulholland said: "We'll worry about today for now - today was always a stop towards the National, but I'll have a word with Barry and see how we get on. I'm not going to talk the National up at this stage."

Barry Geraghty said: "I always felt comfortable. He jumped nicely - a little sketchy over the first couple - but, every time I gave him a little squeeze from early in the back straight, he would come on the bridle quickly, so I was keen to tuck him away and wait.

"I was there sooner than ideal but I couldn't hang on much longer and he didn't do an awful lot in front. It's only when we come here that we really appreciate what it means. You hate to draw a blank - everyone wants to ride a winner and the sooner you can do it, the better."

Trainer Henry De Bromhead was delighted with the performance of Grand Jesture in third. "Super run and a super ride," said the trainer. "He's a tough horse and you'd hope he'd be an English National hope next year. I was going to enter him this year but then I looked at his age so I just scratched him so he's not in it this year.

"We'll see what his campaign will be next year. He's there to win races and you need to win them to get in the National nowadays.

Trainer Tony Martin was also happy with Gallant Oscar, who finished a further one and a half lengths back in third.

"I'm absolutely delighted with him," said the trainer. "He galloped and stayed on really well. He jumped very nicely, travelled throughout and was staying on well at the finish. He came into the race travelling well and saw the trip out well, I was really happy with the run.

"We have plenty of options for him including going to Leopardstown or Punchestown. Obviously, we'll see how he comes out of the race and then decide where we will go but he has a range of possible races he could be targeted for."

Paul Townend completed a double on the day when he won the closing novices' handicap chase on board the Rebecca Curtis-trained Irish Cavalier (11/1).

The attendance at Cheltenham on Tuesday came to 63,249, a new record for the first day of the meeting. This figure is 6,166 more than last year's 57,083.