Albert Bartlett Novicesâ Hurdle â Analysis The Albert Bartlett Novicesâ Hurdle is the longest of the four novicesâ hurdles, taking place over three miles on Gold Cup Day, Friday, March 15. A total of 107 entries have been received for the 2013 renewal, of which 31 are are trained in Ireland and two in France. Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham on January 26 saw At Fishers Cross defeat The New One by a neck with Coneygree 12 lengths back in third in the Grade Two Neptune Investment Management Novicesâ Hurdle. All three hold entries in both the Neptune Investment Management Novicesâ Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett Novicesâ Hurdle, although trainer Rebecca Curtis has indicated that the later is the preferred target for At Fishers Cross. The Irish-trained entries include 11 from the Irelandâs champion Jump trainer Willie Mullins. These are headed by is Pont Alexandre, who is unbeaten in three starts and was the effortless 11-length winner of a Grade Two contest at Leopardstown on January 27, having previously landed the Grade One Navan Novicesâ Hurdle in December. Also among Mullinsâ possible starters is Champagne Fever, winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at The Festival in 2012 and the unbeaten Ballycasey. Also among the Irish-trained entries is the Noel Meade-trained Road To Riches, who is unbeaten under Rules and was successful in a Grade Three event at Cork in December. Meade could also be represented by Busty Brown, who looked as if he would be suited by the step up to three miles when runner-up over two and half miles behind Pont Alexandre in the Grade One Navan Novice Hurdle in December. Taquin Du Seuil, one of five entries for Jonjo OâNeill, the only trainer to have won the Albert Bartlett Novicesâ Hurdle on one more than once occasion. The six-year-old was successful in a Grade Two event at Sandown on December 7 before going on to register a comfortable victory in the Grade One Challow Novicesâ Chase at Newbury on December 29.
THE ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICES’ HURDLE Class 1, Grade 1, Total Prize Fund £120,000, 2.40pm Friday, March 15, 2013, New Course, three miles, for novice four-year-olds and upwards. Weights 4-y-o 10st 11lb, 5-y-o and upwards 11st 7lb, fillies and mares allowance 7lb. Entries closed Tuesday, January 29, Entries revealed Thursday, January 31 (107 entries). Scratchings deadline February 19, six-day confirmation stage Saturday, March 9. Final declaration stage 10am, Thursday, March 14. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, January 28. May not include some overseas form. Form Horse Age Owner Trainer 2 AAIM TO PROSPER (IRE) 9 CGA Racing Partnership 2 Paul Nicholls 1-1135 ACCORDING TO TREV (IRE) 7 Fred & Wayne Mills Nigel Twiston-Davies 1412-62 AERIAL (FR) 7 Tony Hayward and Barry Fulton Paul Nicholls 12111 AFRICAN GOLD (IRE) 5 Ron Bauer Nigel Twiston-Davies 3/-11F ANONIS (GER) 7 Barry Connell Mags Mullins IRE 0-13443 ARDBOE ABBEY (IRE) 6 J M Ryan Tom Hogan IRE 2-103 ARDKILLY WITNESS (IRE) 7 C E Stedman & Dr R D P Newland Dr Richard Newland 25-1111 AT FISHERS CROSS (IRE) 6 J P McManus Rebecca Curtis 1-1223 BALLYBOUGH PAT (IRE) 6 Favourites Racing Anthony Honeyball 1-11 BALLYCASEY (IRE) 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE 14/-01 BALLYTOBER 7 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs 1-14 BALNASLOW (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE 433-4 BAMBOLEO (IRE) 6 Malcolm Denmark David Pipe 5-3F651 BLISSFUL MOMENT (USA) 6 J P McManus Noel Meade IRE 324112 BONDAGE (IRE) 6 Bodhran Makers Syndicate Gordon Elliott IRE 11343 BONISLAND 5 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE 3-1214 BOYFROMNOWHERE (IRE) 6 A J Rhead & G B Williams Rebecca Curtis 1-213 BRASSICK 6 Paul Murphy Charlie Longsdon 11 BROADWAY BUFFALO (IRE) 5 The Broadway Partnership David Pipe 2151 BUCKING THE TREND 5 The Marinades Tim Vaughan 32-551 BUFFALO BALLET 7 H W Turcan E MacGregor Sir S Dunning Nick Alexander 2-13312 BUSTY BROWN (IRE) 7 Sean Joseph Murphy Noel Meade IRE 041 CAYMAN ISLANDS 5 Bloomfields John Ferguson 111-123 CHAMPAGNE FEVER (IRE) 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE 1 CHAT ROOM 5 Bloomfields John Ferguson 661 CHIBERTA KING 7 The Pink Hat Racing Partnership Andrew Balding 11 CLOUDY COPPER (IRE) 6 Gay Smith Jonjo O'Neill 10-1113 CONEYGREE 6 The Max Partnership Mark Bradstock 32213 CORRIN WOOD (IRE) 6 Dermot Hanafin Donald McCain 144 CREEPY (IRE) 5 M Boothright, T Hanlon, S Harman Martin Keighley DARLEY SUN (IRE) 7 Bloomfields John Ferguson U31443 DAWN TWISTER (GER) 6 Ron Davies Lucy Wadham 2-1 DEFY LOGIC (IRE) 6 J P McManus Paul Nolan IRE 065112 DRAWN N DRANK (IRE) 7 W Porter Enda Bolger IRE 31 DREAMS OF MILAN (IRE) 5 Axom XXXVII Donald McCain 2112P DURSEY SOUND (IRE) 5 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill 3-2112 EASTER DAY (FR) 5 B Fulton, Broughton Thermal Insulation Paul Nicholls FAMOUSANDFEARLESS (IRE) 5 The Bravo Partnership David Pipe 60-3601 FLAMING CHARMER (IRE) 5 T H Chadney Colin Tizzard 124 GAS LINE BOY (IRE) 7 Mick Fitzgerald Racing Club Philip Hobbs 14-111 GEVREY CHAMBERTIN (FR) 5 Roger Stanley & Yvonne Reynolds III David Pipe 132 GOLD BULLET (IRE) 5 Fitri Hay Tom Taaffe IRE 12-1211 GREEN FLAG (IRE) 6 John Adam Lucinda Russell 10-35U2 HOLD ON JULIO (IRE) 10 Mr & Mrs F Bell, N Farrell, A Marsh Alan King 10-1P I SHOT THE SHERIFF (IRE) 6 Malcolm Denmark David Pipe 3343-12 INISH ISLAND (IRE) 7 Susan Flanagan/Hazel & Patrick Flanagan Willie Mullins IRE 1 JUST A PAR (IRE) 6 Paul Barber & Graham Roach Paul Nicholls 41 KING HELISSIO (IRE) 5 Jane Gerard-Pearse Neil Mulholland 12F KINGS PALACE (IRE) 5 Drew, George, Johnson Partnership David Pipe 23-12 LE BEC (FR) 5 T D J Syder Emma Lavelle LECALE LAD (IRE) 6 Robert Kirkland Tim Vaughan 32 LIENOSUS (IRE) 7 William & Angela Rucker Evan Williams 24/11PF- LOOSE PREFORMER (IRE) 7 Middleham Park Racing LXIV David O'Meara 11-21 LORD WISHES (IRE) 6 Leeds Plywood and Doors Ltd James Ewart MAC'S RETURN (IRE) 6 John Hales Paul Nicholls 00-03r1 MALA BEACH (IRE) 5 C Jones Gordon Elliott IRE 100-212 MANY CLOUDS (IRE) 6 Trevor Hemmings Oliver Sherwood 50 MASSINI LOTTO (IRE) 6 P Taylor & J Stone John Quinn 1F-413(2) MIDNIGHT APPEAL 8 David Sewell Alan King 31-31 MIDNIGHT OSCAR (IRE) 6 The Oscar Partnership Kim Bailey 241/0/-1 MIDNIGHT PRAYER 8 The Legends Partnership Alan King 13-21 MORNING ASSEMBLY (IRE) 6 Clipper Logistics Group Ltd Pat Fahy IRE 2/1213-1 MOZOLTOV 7 Martin Lynch Willie Mullins IRE 215 MULLAGHANOE RIVER (IRE) 5 Patricia Hunt Noel Meade IRE 50450-1 NEPTUNE EQUESTER 10 Koo's Racing Club Brian Ellison 311 O'FAOLAINS BOY (IRE) 6 C Trembath & R Hyde Rebecca Curtis 333- OFF THE WALL (IRE) 6 Malcolm Denmark David Pipe 1-02113 OUR VINNIE (IRE) 6 New Dawn Syndicate Charles Byrnes IRE 1 PAY THE KING (IRE) 6 Robin Geffen Paul Nicholls 31 PINE CREEK 5 Bloomfields John Ferguson 111 PONT ALEXANDRE (GER) 5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE 4/- PRIEST ISLAND (IRE) 7 Thoroughbred Ladies Tom George 2-11 RED DEVIL BOYS (IRE) 6 Bloomfields John Ferguson 301012 RETURN SPRING (IRE) 6 D J Jones Philip Hobbs 111 ROAD TO RICHES (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE 163 ROCKAWANGO (FR) 7 Martin Tedham James Ewart 1 ROCKNROLLRAMBO (IRE) 6 Paul Frank Barry Anthony Middleton 3140 ROYAL ST TROP (FR) 5 Royal St Trop Association Yann Porzier FR 1211 RULE THE WORLD 6 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris IRE 4312 SAMMYS GONE (IRE) 7 Roger Brookhouse Philip Hobbs 1444-12 SEEDSMAN 6 Christopher Spence & Partners Charles Egerton 1112U6 SEEFOOD (IRE) 6 Lyreen Syndicate Dessie Hughes IRE 442P-11 SEYMOUR ERIC 8 Mrs C J Black & Ten Out Of Ten Racing Martin Keighley 0/01-123 SHOTGUN PADDY (IRE) 6 Axom (XXXVI) Emma Lavelle 111-311 SHUTTHEFRONTDOOR (IRE) 6 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill FP-1515 SIXTY SOMETHING (FR) 7 Mrs A Timpson Paul Webber 21-2212 SIZING GOLD (IRE) 6 Alan & Ann Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE 11 SUNTIEP (FR) 7 Jim Ennis Willie Mullins IRE 6101 SUPERIOR QUALITY (IRE) 8 The Stewkley Shindiggers Partnership Charlie Longsdon 1211 TAQUIN DU SEUIL (FR) 6 Martin Broughton & Friends 1 Jonjo O'Neill 0-21223 THUNDER AND ROSES (IRE) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Dessie Hughes IRE 10 TOMINATOR 6 Patsy Byrne Jonjo O'Neill 21 TOP GAMBLE (IRE) 5 Walters Plant Hire Ltd David Pipe 12/-1 TOUCH THE EDEN (FR) 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE 4R1 TSAR DES BIEFFES (FR) 6 Mrs Jean Porzier Yann Porzier FR 5/1/-1 TWIGLINE (FR) 6 Hammer & Trowel Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE 1-11 UN ATOUT (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE 0-2321 UNIKA LA RECONCE (FR) 5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE 532141 UTOPIE DES BORDES (FR) 5 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson 2312 UXIZANDRE (FR) 5 Million in Mind Partnership Alan King 10-12 VENTURE CAPITAL (IRE) 6 J P McManus Philip Fenton IRE 06-0501 VIRGINIA ASH (IRE) 5 J P Romans Colin Tizzard 111/2-12 WAAHEB (USA) 6 J P McManus Dermot Weld IRE WESTERN WARHORSE (IRE) 5 Roger Brookhouse David Pipe 1 WHISPERING GALLERY 7 Bloomfields John Ferguson 1 WOODFORD COUNTY 6 Philip Hobbs Philip Hobbs ZUIDER ZEE (GER) 6 Bloomfields John Ferguson 107 entries 31 Irish-trained 2 French-trained Runners and Form
