The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle is a 3m Grade 1 and the last of the novices’ hurdles contested at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival. The race is the furthest of the three Grade 1 novice hurdles, and therefore a strong stayer is often needed. Check out our expert trends and selections for the big race on the final day of the Festival.
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Bookmaker Odds – Race 3, Friday 17th March 2:50
| Horse/Form | Silks | Jockey/Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three Card Brag 1-1321 |  | J: A P Heskin T: Gordon Elliott | 4/1 |
| Corbetts Cross 512111 |  | J: Mark Walsh T: Emmet Mullins | 10/3 |
| Embassy Gardens 15-241 |  | J: Paul Townend T: Willie Mullins | 8/1 |
| Hiddenvalley Lake C-112 |  | J: Rachael Blackmore T: Henry De Bromhead | 6/1 |
| Sandor Clegane 2-7213 |  | J: Sean O’Keeffe T: Paul Nolan | 16/1 |
| Favori De Champdou /2-111 |  | J: Jordan Gainford T: Gordon Elliott | 17/2 |
| Monty’s Star 224-21 |  | J: Sean Flanagan T: Henry De Bromhead | NR |
| Dawn Rising 3113 | | J: L P Dempsey T: Joseph Patrick O’Brien | 16/1 |
| Shanbally Kid 01-41 | | J: Danny Mullins T: Willie Mullins | 18/1 |
| Letsbeclearaboutit 1/2421 | | J: Keith Donoghue T: Gavin Cromwell | 14/1 |
| Rock My Way P3-121 |  | J: Nick Scholfield T: Syd Hosie | 33/1 |
| Weveallbeencaught 11-318 |  | J: Sam Twiston-Davies T: Nigel Twiston-Davies | 25/1 |
| Seabank Bistro 4-6321 |  | J: Patrick Mullins T: Willie Mullins | 16/1 |
| Search For Glory 1-133 | | J: Davy Russell T: Gordon Elliott | 22/1 |
| Stay Away Fay 1-12 |  | J: Harry Cobden T: Paul Nicholls | 16/1 |
| Affordale Fury 1-11F6 |  | J: Sam Ewing T: Noel Meade | 80/1 |
| Chianti Classico 10-111 |  | J: David Bass T: Kim Bailey | 40/1 |
| Saint Palais 141-5F |  | J: Harry Bannister T: Richard J Bandey | 50/1 |
| Thomas Mor -111P1 |  | J: Adam Wedge T: David Pipe | 40/1 |
| Idalko Bihoue 1-13P |  | J: Jordan Nailor T: Nigel Twiston-Davies | 125/1 |
All About The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle in 2023
The newest of the holy trinity of novice hurdles contested at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival (alongside the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Ballymore), the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle was inaugurated in 2005 and registered as the Spa Novices’ Hurdle.
When the Festival was extended to four days, the race began as a Grade 2 and for its first three runnings was sponsored by Brit Insurance, but having attracted strong fields was upgraded to Grade 1 status in 2008. Potato producer Albert Bartlett took over sponsorship duties afterwards and has maintained the partnership through the years.
This year’s renewal sees the Irish dominate the betting again, with Corbetts Cross and Embassy Gardens currently joint-favourites. The former has only tasted defeat once in his hurdles career, and was last seen winning a Grade 2 at Naas in February. Willie Mullins’ Embassy Gardens has only won once over hurdles, but he did it with ease and looks a live contender to bolster his trainers impressive recent record in the race.
Henry De Bromhead has two potential options with good chances, with Hiddenvalley Lake and Monty’s Star. The latter got the better of his stablemate when last seen at Clonmel, but the betting suggests that form is expected to reverse here if the pair line up.
Gordon Elliott has plenty of options here, but the one with the best chance appears to be Three Card Brag, having beaten Sandor Clegane (who also is expected to go well here) on debut and ran out a comfortable ten-length winner on his last hurdles start.
With eight of the last ten winners returning at double-figure odds, it might pay to look further down the betting. One who catches the eye is Willie Mullins’ Seabank Bistro, who chased home Corbetts Cross at Limerick in December, before a cosy victory at Naas the following month. He could give his trainer a fourth win in the last seven renewals.
Qualifications/Trends
The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle is open to horses aged four or older (4yos receive 9lb from their elders), but as it is invariably such a dour test it is more often than not contested by more experienced novice hurdlers, with no 4yo winners and just two 5yo winners in its entire 17-year history.
Mares receive an allowance of 7lb, as they do with the remaining Grade 1’s when competing against the boys, yet up to now, no Mare has managed to land the race.
6yo horses have dominated in the Albert Bartlett, landing 9 of the 18 renewals, with 7yos taking six renewals and Unowhatimeanharry managing to score as an 8yo in 2016. Experience tends to come to the fore in the race, and horses that began their careers in the point sphere tend to do well.
Due to this former point experience, winners of the Albert Bartlett tend to go on to experience a staying chase career the following season, and some make up into future Gold Cup runners, with Bobs Worth (2011) and Minella Indo (2019) going on to complete the Albert Bartlett – Gold Cup double.
The race has no strong price trends, albeit favourites don’t have an overly strong record, with 2013 race winner At Fishers Cross (11/8F) the last to justify favouritism – since then there have been winners at 33/1, 50/1 and last year’s 18/1 winner The Nice Guy.
2023 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Prize Money
Last year’s prize money accumulated to just over £137,000, with race winner The Nice Guy picking up over £78,000.
The prize pot for the 2023 renewal is £135,000.
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle History
The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle was formed when the Cheltenham Festival expanded to four days in 2005.
The race is run on Cheltenham’s New Course and is contested over a distance of 3m, with twelve hurdles to be jumped.
Horses that started their careers in points have a particularly strong record, with four of the last five winners starting life in that discipline prior to their respective victories. The race has also proven a good springboard for future Festival success, with the likes of Wichita Lineman, Bobs Worth, Penhill, Minella Indo and Monkfish all going on to land races at subsequent Cheltenham Festivals.
Perhaps with the race’s tough nature it is no surprise that the most successful jockey in its history is the legendary AP McCoy, who landed three renewals in his time in the saddle. McCoy’s first victory came aboard Black Jack Ketchum in 2006, and he quickly added to that a year later with Witchita Lineman – a horse who would go on to provide McCoy with one of his most famous moments in the saddle. McCoy’s final victory in the Albert Bartlett came in 2013 when partnering race favourite At Fishers Cross.
Willie Mullins has dominated in the race lately, winning three of the last six renewals to make him the most successful trainer in the history of the race. His first victory came with Penhill in 2017, before Monkfish landed the 2020 renewal and he found glory again last year with The Nice Guy.
Interestingly, the first two of Mullins’ winners went on to land Grade 1s at the subsequent year’s Festival, with Penhill going on to land the 2018 Stayers’ Hurdle and Monkfish landing the 2021 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase. With the vast majority of Albert Bartlett winners going on to embark on chasing careers, Penhill remains the only horse to complete the Albert Bartlett – Stayers’ Hurdle double.
Winners since 2005
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Moulin Riche | Robert Thornton | Francois Doumen | 9/1 | |
| 2006 | Black Jack Ketchum | AP McCoy | Jonjo O’Neill | EvsF | |
| 2007 | Wichita Lineman | AP McCoy | Jonjo O’Neill | 11/8F | |
| 2008 | Nenuphar Collonges | Robert Thornton | Alan King | 9/1 | |
| 2009 | Weapon’s Amnesty | Davy Russell | Charles Byrnes | 8/1 | |
| 2010 | Berties Dream | Andrew Lynch | Paul John Gilligan | 33/1 | |
| 2011 | Bobs Worth | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson | 15/8F | |
| 2012 | Brindisi Breeze | Campbell Gillies | Lucinda Russell | 7/1 | |
| 2013 | At Fishers Cross | AP McCoy | Rebecca Curtis | 11/8F | |
| 2014 | Very Wood | Paul Carberry | Noel Meade | 33/1 | |
| 2015 | Martello Tower | Adrian Heskin | Margaret Mullins | 14/1 | |
| 2016 | Unowhatimeanharry | Noel Fehily | Harry Fry | 11/1 | |
| 2017 | Penhill | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins | 16/1 | |
| 2018 | Kilbricken Storm | Harry Cobden | Colin Tizzard | 33/1 | |
| 2019 | Minella Indo | Rachael Blackmore | Henry De Bromhead | 50/1 | |
| 2020 | Monkfish | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins | 5/1 | |
| 2021 | Vanillier | Mark Walsh | Gavin Cromwell | 14/1 | |
| 2022 | The Nice Guy | Sean O’Keeffe | Willie Mullins | 18/1 |