Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle is the fourth race on the final day of racing at the Cheltenham Festival. It is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle that was first run in 2005 when it was one of several new races added to the festival schedule. The race is formerly registered as the Spa Novices’ Hurdle with four-year-old horses excluded since 2023.

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Overview

Registered as the Spa Novices’ Hurdle, the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle is a Grade 1 hurdle run over a distance of 2 miles 7 furlongs and 213 yards on the new course for novices. They will be jumping twelve hurdles with the winner’s prize fund likely to be in the region of £84,000. The race is run on the final day of the Festival on the Friday normally as the third race on the card.

The winner will most likely be coming back the following year to head for the Brown Advisory Chase if going chasing or the Staying Hurdle if staying over hurdles.

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Betting Trends and Statistics

• Ireland does best here with 9 of the last 12 winners trained there.
• Willie Mullins has won the race four times in the last nine years with the best of the British being Jonjo O’Neill who has been successful twice with the well-backed Black Jack Ketchum and Wichita Lineman.
• 18 of the last 21 winners had won or placed in a graded novice hurdle whilst 7 of the 21 winners had won one of the three trial races run at the track earlier in the season, the Hyde Novices’ Hurdle, Bristol Novices’ Hurdle and Classic Novices’ Hurdle.
• 18 of the past 20 winners have been aged either 6 or 7 years old.
• A big price is relatively common here with no winning favourite since At Fishers Cross in 2013 with 33/1 (three times) and 50/1 amongst the winners since.
• 10 of the past 14 winners had won an Irish point-to-point.

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle History

Was one of several races added to the Festival when a fourth day was introduced to the meeting in 2005. The race was sponsored for its first three runs by Brit Insurance. The vegetable growing company Albert Bartlett took over sponsorship in 2008 and has continued their support since.

Some of the notable winners since its inception are Bobs Worth (2011), Unowwhatimeanharry (2016) and Monkfish (2020).

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Winners