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Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle
Race Conditions
The Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle (2:40pm) is a Class A Grade 1 hurdle run over three miles. Sponsored by "Britain's largest grower of root potatoes" it is open to novices aged four years old and upwards. The total prize fund is £100,000.
As gruelling a novice hurdle as run all year, the Roll of Honour to date suggests that it suits the strongest stayer in the race.
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Recent Winners
As the Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle begins to attract more Flat bred horses, particularly classy stayers, the Albert Bartlett Hurdle could develop into the main target for long term chase prospects during their novice hurdling campaign. It could also prove to be a good pointer to future years’ World Hurdles.
| Year | Horse | Age | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Weapon's Amnesty | 6 | C Byrnes | 8/1 |
| 2008 | Nenuphar Collonges | 7 | A King | 9/1 |
| 2007 | Wichita Lineman | 6 | Jonjo O'Neill | 11/8F |
| 2006 | Black Jack Ketchum | 7 | Jonjo O'Neill | EvensF |
| 2005 | Moulin Riche | 5 | F Doumen | 9/1 |
Key Trends
All 5 winners could be found in the first 5 in the betting and had run at least 3 times over hurdles.
3 of the last 4 winners won at Cheltenham before (and 4 of the 5 raced at least twice over the course).
14 of the 15 win-and-placed horses finished 1st or 2nd last time out.
2010 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Preview
As always, the Albert Bartlett is a tricky ante post puzzle for punters to solve because so many of the key protagonists hold alternative entries in the Neptune Investment Hurdle.
One horse who seems certain to line up here is the so far unbeaten Tell Massini, who has plenty going for him not least a course and distance victory in December, which proved he likes the track and stays this marathon trip.
Restless Harry also has an impressive Cheltenham victory to his name – he took the Grade 2 novice hurdle on Trials Day over 2m 4½f. Like Tell Massini, he comes from a relatively unfashionable yard (when it comes to Festival winners anyway) and both horses are, not surprisingly, the apple of their respective trainers eyes.
A line through Reve De Sivola possibly gives Tell Massini the edge, but Restless Harry could improve again for the step up in trip.
The Betchworth Kid is the other home trained runner at the fore of the ante post market. He was a thorough (and classy) stayer on the flat and so the trips he has been running over since switching to hurdles probably haven’t brought out the best in him. His trainer, who has an excellent recent record at the Festival, seems very sweet on his chances.
Once again, there will be a powerful raiding army from Ireland for this race, headed by a number of interesting runners from the Willie Mullins yard.
Enterprise Park and Quel Esprit look the best of his challengers. The former is unbeaten in three starts to date, two over hurdles. His last effort was over 22f in very heavy ground at Limerick, but his bumper win came on a yielding surface and, being by Supreme Leader, he should be able to cope with better ground at the Festival.
Quel Esprit was a staying on fourth in last year’s Festival Bumper. He then impressed on his first two runs over hurdles, before disappointing slightly last time out. The trip may have been a bit short for him that day and, with stamina his forte, soft ground at the Festival would suit him.
Mouse Morris also has numerous entries, chief amongst being The Hurl, who could improve on what he has shown to date if he gets some decent spring ground, whilst stablemate, Bailys Rock, could also run well at a bigger price.
Shinrock Paddy is another interesting Irish contender (he comfortably beat The Hurl when the two met at Navan in December). He was a very impressive winner of a bumper at Cheltenham in November 2008 and was then slightly disappointing when only eighth in the subsequent Festival Bumper. He has since taken the switch to hurdling well and each time he steps up in trip he seems to improve again.
Magnanimity represents a stable that has had horses run well in this race in the past and although his form at present is someway below the market leaders here, he looks sure to improve for the step up in trip.
Acapulco comes from a yard that does well at the Festival generally, that of Edward O’Grady, and, incredibly, he ran in both the Derby and the St Leger in 2007. This is obviously a completely different ballgame, but he clearly has a touch of class and should be suited by this trip providing the ground isn’t too soft.
Back to the home trained entries and there is a horse in this contest who has another of the world’s greatest races on his agenda, this time the Grand National. Possol looks likely to use this contest as a stepping stone to Aintree and he has shown some decent form over hurdles this season. Again, he wouldn’t want the ground too soft.
CONCLUSION: ENTERPRISE PARK has looked a really exciting prospect in his brief career so far and is narrowly preferred to the classy recruit from the flat, The Butterworth Kid. Shinrock Paddy is next best, with Wymott and Possol outsiders to consider.
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Race Facts
1. The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle was added to The Festival in 2005 and provides a valuable opportunity for staying novice hurdlers as it is run over three miles. Initially sponsored by Brit Insurance, it was backed by Albert Bartlett for the first time in 2008, coinciding with its upgrade to Grade One status.
2. The inaugural running went to Moulin Riche, trained by Francois Doumen in France and partnered to success by Robert Thornton. Thornton enjoyed a second success aboard the Alan King-trained Nenuphar Collonges in 2008.
3. Trainer Jonjo O’Neill and jockey Tony McCoy combined to take the two of the last four runnings with impressive winners – Wichita Lineman, who scored by 12 lengths in 2007, and Black Jack Ketchum, a nine-length winner in 2006. Both started favourite.
4. Weapon’s Amnesty became the first Irish-trained winner of the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle in 2009, taking the spoils for trainer Charles Byrnes and jockey Davy Russell.
2009 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Review
For once, Walsh and Nicholls had to settle for second best, as WEAPON’S AMNESTY took the fifth running of this contest for Ireland.
As in previous years, many of the runners are biding their time before going over fences and the winner is certainly one of those who looks nailed on to improve even further for a switch to the larger obstacles.
Always travelling well throughout the three mile contest, he probably hit the front a bit too soon, and was idling badly in the closing stages. However, he responded when the runner up, Pride Of Dulcote came at him again, and just did enough to hold on.
Pride Of Dulcote had been ante post favourite for this event for some time and the form of his yard over the preceding days had only increased punters’ confidence. However, after leading from three out to the last, a mistake at the final flight handed the initiative to Weapon’s Amnesty and he was probably flattered slightly by his proximity to the winner. He also has chasing on his agenda for next season and the first two could easily clash again in the RSA Chase at the 2010 Festival.
The Midnight Club stayed on dourly for third, but could never get to the front pair. Extremes of distance are likely to suit this stoutly bred gelding in time and the ground was probably a little too lively for him here.
On Raglan Road, the only horse to beat Dunguib to date, didn’t seem to quite see out the trip in this company, a comment that also applies to Cape Tribulation, who was in the thick of things for a long way – flatter tracks may suit him better.
2008 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Review
Another field packed full of future chasers, but it was a horse with plenty of experience over the larger obstacles already who won the day as NENUPHAR COLLONGES justified in some style Alan King’s decision to bring this horse back to hurdles after a decent enough spell chasing last season.
The race turned into a real slog turning for home, which suited the winner down to the ground. All he does is stay (he was only fifth jumping the second last) and he could be an interesting contender for races like the Welsh National next season if connections decide to send him back over the larger obstacles. He had his ears pricked at the line here, to suggest there was a fair bit left in the tank.
Liskennett ran a cracker in second to belie her relatively low rating, whilst The Tother One looked all over the winner at the bottom of the hill only to run out of stamina in the closing stages. He should make up into a fine chaser, as should Gone To Lunch who was fifth.
Splitting the pair was Siegemaster in fourth, who was the other one travelling well when the field rounded the final turn. He was on the receiving end of some interference at the last which finally put paid to his chance.
One Gulp and Sound Accord plugged on well enough from the rear having been out the back throughout, whereas Carruthers, the well supported favourite, faded disappointingly having taken the field along for much of the way. He didn’t seem to enjoy not getting his own way out in front and is a good bit better than he showed here. Connections are likely to waste no time in switching him to fences next season.
2007 Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle Review
A great result for punters in general, and for the king of punters in particular, as the JP McManus owned WICHITA LINEMAN justified favouritism to land the odds in comfortable fashion………in the end!
This race turned into a real test of stamina and the strong early pace ensured that the field of novices easily bettered the time registered by Inglis Drever in the previous day’s World Hurdle, despite the overnight rain. That suited the stout, staying hurdlers more than the embryo chasers and the winner certainly fits more into the former category than the latter.
Wichita Lineman was not far below the best bumper horses last season, but has really come into his own stepped up in trip over hurdles this year. Massini’s Maguire had given his form a boost by winning the Sun Alliance Hurdle on Wednesday, and that persuaded punters to shorten his already skinny odds before the off, and whilst he was backed as if defeat was out of the question, it wasn’t all plain sailing.
As he tends to, Wichita Lineman needed to be niggled along by Tony McCoy at various stages (most noticeably when coming under pressure at the top of the hill on the final circuit) and he was pressed for a long way by Black Harry. However, he just seemed to have got the better of that rival when Black Harry took a horrible fall at the last.
Next year’s World Hurdle will surely be on the agenda for Wichita Lineman. He has a similar style to this season’s winner, Inglis Drever, in that all he does is stay, and the further he goes the better he looks.
Black Harry didn’t deserve the fate that befell him at the last as he’d run a blinder up until that point and given Ruby Walsh everything. He stayed down winded for what seemed an eternity, but thankfully got up to a rousing cheer from the packed stands and lives to fit another day. He would have been a clear second and has a bright future as he is a big chasing type.
Air Force One finished second in the end – 12 lengths behind the winner. Despite the gap, this was a good effort from a horse running only his fifth race over hurdles and only his fourth in this country. He was decent on the flat in Germany and can win plenty of races on this evidence.
The improved form of Itsa Legend, in third, was probably down to the better ground.
Conversely, the ground was probably too quick for Flight Leader who finished fourth. He is big, strong sort who will be one to follow when switched to fences.
The same is true of the other chasing types Head Held High, Skippers Brig, last year’s bumper winner Hairy Molly and Leading Run.
2006 Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle Review
Not only was BLACK JACK KETCHUM’S breathtaking victory a great result for punters it was also a great result for the sport as Jonjo O’Neill’s seven year old proved himself to be a genuine superstar in the making.
There was rarely any doubt about the favourite landing the odds and a typical Festival roar greeted the commentator’s acknowledgment that, travelling down the hill for the last time, AP McCoy still hadn’t movement a muscle on the unbeaten gelding.
McCoy claimed that he knew the horse was a machine the first time he rode him and it is hard to argue with the champion’s assessment after this faultless performance. Not surprisingly, the sponsors of next year’s World Hurdle made the winner 4-1 favourite for that race after this performance.
Irish raiders filled the next five places. Runner up, Powerstation, stayed on strongly and is clearly suited by a thorough test of stamina. Both he and the third, Travino, would undoubtedly prefer softer ground. Travino ran particularly well given that he is an embryo chaser – he’ll be aimed at next year’s Sun Alliance Chase.
Back To Bid, who was fifth, may also improve over fences whilst Shouette defied odds of 100-1 to run a fine race in sixth. Of the others, Karanja was bang there until fading in the straight. This was a much better effort from Victor Dartnell’s horse, who is another who is probably not at his best on this surface.