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Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle
Race Conditions
The Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle (2:35pm) is a Class A Grade 2 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.
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Recent Winners
As the Ballymore Properties 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.
Previous course form has been highly influencial in the four runnings to date.
| Year | Horse | Age | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
3 of the 4 winners won at Cheltenham earlier in the season.
11 of the 12 win-and-placed horses finished 1st or 2nd last time out.
16 of the 20 horses to occupy a top 5 position finished 1st or 2nd last time out.
9 if the 12 win-and-placed horses started at single figure odds.
Watch the 2008 Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle:
2007 Review
A great result for punter 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 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.