The Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (2.40) is a 3m contest for staying novices' perhaps seen as being too slow for either the Supreme or Neptune Novices', and ranks as one of the week's more open races.
2010 Result: Berties Dream, trained by P J Gilligan and ridden by A E Lynch, SP 33/1.
Key Trends:
Just six runnings to go on but some clear patterns are already beginning to emerge, not least the importance of course form with four winners having previously raced around Cheltenham at least twice. Indeed, three of the winners had won at the track before, which is a big pointer to Bobs Worth (twice a winner here), Champion Court and Mossley. The best guide has been the Hyde Novices’ Hurdle (won by Champion Court) with three of the six winners emerging from that contest.
Not surprisingly, stamina comes to the fore in this 3m event and five of the six winners had raced over that distance before, while all six had raced at least three times over hurdles. Class tends to come to the fore too as four of the British-trained winners had won a Graded hurdle, while the sole French-trained winner, Moulin Riche, had won a Listed handicap hurdle.
The Irish are on a hat-trick of wins and their best chance this year looks to be Gagewell Flyer, from the Willie Mullins stable. Berties Dream provided a 33/1 shock last year but the previous five winners all came from the first five in the betting.
Major Players:
Bobs Worth was a leading fancy for the Neptune Investment Novices' until being rerouted here and is now no bigger than 10/3 (bet365) for this stiffer test of stamina. Certainly, he was very impressive in winning back-to-back races over 2m41/2f at Cheltenham in January, and the way he was staying on suggests the longer trip is going to suit even better.
Court In Motion (9/1 Stan James) was ante post favourite for this on the back of a promising second to the ill-fated Backspin in the Challow Hurdle and a Grade 2 win at Warwick, but was then put in his place by Back In Focus at Haydock when trying 3m for the first time. The stable was going through a quiet spell at the time and he remains highly-regarded, although he has yet to visit this track.
Join Together (9/1 William Hill) was seen off fairly easily by Court in Motion at Exeter in November but that was his debut under rules and he's improved since, most notably when running just over a length second to Mossley in a Grade 2 when upped to 3m here in December.
Champion Court (10/1 Ladbrokes) was disappointing here in January but can be excused that run as he lost a shoe during the race and returned with three nail holes in the middle of his foot, while subsequent blood tests revealed he was under a cloud. Previously, he'd won a Grade 2 here by seven lengths and the runner-up Sybarite subsequently ran six lengths closer to the well-regarded Chablais next time, thus giving the form a solid look. He's highly-regarded by his up-and-coming trainer Martin Keighley.
Kilcrea Kim (9/1 Paddy Power) is the most experienced of these and boasts some strong handicap form. He appeared not to stay when upped to 3m here in January but there may have been another reason for that defeat as he stayed on strongly to win a fastly-run 2m6f race on his next start at Sandown. His trainer Philip Hobbs has already been amongst the winners at the Festival.
Lively Outsiders:
I said this was an open contest and the contenders just keep coming, with Gagewell Flyer (10/1 Ladbrokes) rated Ireland's best hope. He warmed up for this by winning a 2m contest last time but don't let that fool you as this race has been his target all season, and all his efforts have hinted that a step up in trip would see him in an even better light.
The race Mossley (14/1 Paddy Power) won here in December was run at a muddling pace, meaning quite a few were still left in it going to the last, but Barry Geraghty never had to use the whip and he won more easily than the one-and-a-quarter length winning margin suggests. Four horses have come out that race and won since so the form has a solid look.
At those at bigger prices, Tim Vaughan's Our Island (28/1 Skybet) takes the eye. This ex-Irish pointer beat some well-touted rivals on his debut for Vaughan at Ffos Las and followed up with a good win at Newbury. He's going to make a smashing 3m chaser next season, like a lot of these, and will be suited by the trip and track. A drop of rain wouldn't hurt his chances.
Betting Advice:
This is as tough as some of the handicaps but CHAMPION COURT just gets the nod as there was more than one excuse for his poor show last time and he had looked a potential star when winning here in November. Head to Ladbrokes for their standout 10/1 and don't forget to grab your £50 free bet if you don't already have an account with them.
