2014 Albert Bartlett

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

Anyone fancy Rathvinden or Red Sherlock for this after Saturday ?

[skippymac6]

Both would be more Neptune horses I'd say RC. Especially Red Sherlock...

[Old Vic]

David Pipe's Kings Palace headlines 81 entries for the £120,000 Grade One Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle over three miles following two relentless front-running performances at Cheltenham this season.

Malcolm Jefferson has entered the highly-regarded pair of Oscar Rock and Urban Hymn, while Warwick Grade Two victor Deputy Dan (Oliver Sherwood) and Champagne West (Philip Hobbs) are also engaged.

Willie Mullins' 16 entries include Briar Hill, Faugheen and dual hurdle winner Clondaw Court. The Co Carlow handler has also entered Sure Reef, who got the better of Moonshine Lad (Gordon Elliott), Gilt Shadow (Stuart Crawford) and Wounded Warrior (Noel Meade) in a close finish to a Grade Two novice hurdle at Leopardstown on January 26.

Of Wounded Warrior, Meade commented: "Wounded Warrior is likely to go for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle. He ran a nice race at Leopardstown at the weekend, but it was a very stop, start race and that didn't suit him at all.

"He will definitely be better over further and three miles won't be a problem."

[Old Vic]

Trainers with Multiple entries

16 entries
Willie Mullins IRE – Aklan, Briar Hill, Clonard Lad, Clondaw Court, Faugheen, Moyle Park, Perfect Gentleman, Rathvinden, Renneti, Sure Reef, Upazo, Urano, Urticaire, Valseur Lido, Vautour, Wicklow Gold

5 entries
Rebecca Curtis – Ashes House, Doing Fine, Potters Cross, Red Devil Lads, Tara Road

John Ferguson - Fennell Bay, Prince Siegfried, Rainbow Peak, Ronnie Lawson, Three Kingdoms

4 entries
Nicky Henderson – Big Hands Harry, Captain Cutter, Medieval Chapel, Royal Boy
David Pipe – Diamond Life, Kings Palace, Pleasant Company, Red Sherlock

3 entries
Gordon Elliott IRE – Double Irish, Moonshine Lad, Noble Endeavor

2 entries
Kim Bailey – Knockanrawley, Silver Eagle
Jim Culloty IRE – Company Coming, River Of Time
Tom George – Call Me Vic, Wuff
Warren Greatrex – Cole Harden, Madness Light
Philip Hobbs – Champagne West, Sausalito Sunrise
Dessie Hughes IRE – Apache Jack, Thunder And Roses
Malcolm Jefferson – Oscar Rock, Urban Hymn
Alan King – Our Pollyanna, Sego Success
Emma Lavelle – Mosspark, Timesremembered
Noel Meade IRE – Very Wood, Wounded Warrior
Paul Nicholls – Port Melon, Saint Roque
Jonjo O’Neill – Flemenson, Mountain Tunes

[Old Vic]

The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Class 1, Grade 1
,
Total Prize Fund £120,000 , 2.40pm Friday, March 14, 2014, 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 28. Entries revealed Thursday, January 30 (81 entries ). Scratchings deadline February 18, six-day confir
mation stage Saturday, March 8. Final declaration stage 10am, Thursday, March 13. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, January 27. May not include some overseas form.
Form

Horse Age Owner Trainer
1 AKLAN (IRE) 5 Coach Partnership Willie Mullins IRE
310-312 APACHE JACK (IRE) 6 Mrs Pat Sloan Dessie Hughes IRE
1/P-2165 ASHES HOUSE (IRE) 8 Diamond Racing Ltd Rebecca Curtis
12-1223 AZORIAN (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Eoin Griffin IRE
2 BIG HANDS HARRY 5 Alan Spence Nicky Henderson
31312 BLAKEMOUNT (IRE) 6 Jacqueline Conroy Sue Smith
11-111 BRIAR HILL (IRE) 6 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
12303-0 CALEDONIA 7 Johnnie Delta Racing Jim Goldie
12 CALL ME VIC (IRE) 7 C B Compton Tom George
132-111 CAPTAIN CUTTER (IRE) 7 J P McManus Nicky Henderson
(2)0-2F21 CAROLE’S DESTRIER 6 Mrs C Skipworth Neil Mulholland
2-02111 CHAMPAGNE WEST (IRE) 6 Roger Brookhouse Philip Hobbs
1/3//-2212 CLONARD LAD (IRE) 9 DAFTC Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
1-11 CLONDAW COURT (IRE) 7 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
1631 COGRY 5 Graham and Alison Jelley Nigel Twiston-Davies
1-1411 COLE HARDEN (IRE) 5 Jill Eynon & Robin Eynon Warren Greatrex
P COMPANY COMING (IRE) 6 P P Greaney Jim Culloty IRE
0111P0 CYRIEN STAR 7 Puteus Profundus Henry Daly
11-2211 DEPUTY DAN (IRE) 6 Tim Syder Oliver Sherwood
322/5- DIAMOND LIFE 8 Malcolm Denmark David Pipe
231 DOING FINE (IRE) 6 Carl Hinchy Rebecca Curtis
2-601 DOUBLE IRISH (IRE) 6 Barry Connell Gordon Elliott IRE
1111 FAUGHEEN (IRE) 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
1 FENNELL BAY (IRE) 5 Bloomfields John Ferguson
4113 FLATFOOT BOOGIE (FR) 9 Noel Glynn Noel Glynn IRE
12 FLEMENSON (IRE) 5 Gay Smith Jonjo O’Neill
142-103 GILT SHADOW (IRE) 6 David Gordon Roberts Stuart Crawford IRE
0P1414 GOLD PATROL (IRE) 6 Mountfinn Racing Partnership Colin Bowe IRE
5-2115 KAKI DE LA PREE (FR) 7 Sir Peter & Lady Gibbings Tom Symonds
12F-111 KINGS PALACE (IRE) 6 Drew, George & The Johnson Family David Pipe
(6)-1312 KNOCK HOUSE (IRE) 5 Camilla Radford Mick Channon
122 KNOCKANRAWLEY (IRE) 6 Kim Bailey Racing Partnership VIII Kim Bailey
042-221 KRIS SPIN (IRE) 6 Six To Five Against Richard Lee
P1211P MADNESS LIGHT (FR) 5 Tracey Brown Warren Greatrex
1P-1P22 MASTERS HILL (IRE) 8 K S B, M Doughty & Sarah Tizzard Colin Tizzard
4 MEDIEVAL CHAPEL (FR) 6 Ronnie Bartlett Nicky Henderson
1F12 MOONSHINE LAD (IRE) 6 Brendan Scully Gordon Elliott IRE
11 MOSSPARK (IRE) 6 Nick Mustoe & Tim Syder Emma Lavelle
11 MOUNTAIN TUNES (IRE) 5 J P McManus Jonjo O’Neill
11-13 MOYLE PARK (IRE) 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
014 NOBLE ENDEAVOR (IRE) 5 Chris Jones Gordon Elliott IRE
211-123 OSCAR ROCK (IRE) 6 Mr & Mrs G Calder Malcolm Jefferson
0//3100-2 OUR POLLYANNA (IRE) 7 The Dunkley & Reilly Partnership Alan King
43P-122 PERFECT GENTLEMAN (IRE) 9 Jackie Mullins Willie Mullins IRE
13 PLEASANT COMPANY (IRE) 6 Malcolm Denmark David Pipe
3 PORT MELON (IRE) 6 Graham Roach Paul Nicholls
232134 POTTERS CROSS 7 Conyers, O’Reilly, Roddis, Zeffman Rebecca Curtis 51F6
PRINCE SIEGFRIED (FR) 8 Bloomfields John Ferguson
113 RACING PULSE (IRE) 5 Carl Hinchy John Quinn
41 RAINBOW PEAK (IRE) 8 Bloomfields John Ferguson
111F2 RATHVINDEN (IRE) 6 Ronnie Bartlett Willie Mullins IRE
243 RED DEVIL LADS (IRE) 5 Andrew McIver Rebecca Curtis
11-1111 RED SHERLOCK 5 The Johnson Family David Pipe
162424 REGAL DIAMOND (IRE) 6 Roddy Owen, Paul Fullagar & Karen Bowen Peter Bowen
12F RENNETI (FR) 5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
RIVER OF TIME (IRE) 6 Dr Ronan Lambe Jim Culloty IRE
30 RONNIE LAWSON (IRE) 5 Bloomfields John Ferguson
23-311 ROYAL BOY (FR) 7 Michael Buckley Nicky Henderson
52/(2)2F-1 RYDON PYNES 6 The Rydon Pynes Partnership Martin Hill
11113F SAINT ROQUE (FR) 8 Chris Giles & Ian Fogg Paul Nicholls
23-3115 SAUSALITO SUNRISE (IRE) 6 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs
B1 SEGO SUCCESS (IRE) 6 Tim Leadbeater Alan King
4-114 SHANTOU MAGIC (IRE) 7 Owners For Owners: Shantou Magic Charlie Longsdon
112025SILVER EAGLE (IRE) 6 Kim Bailey Racing Partnership IV Kim Bailey
66-2621 STROLLAWAYNOW (IRE) 7 Andrew Wates David Arbuthnot
U11 SURE REEF (IRE) 5 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
315 TARA ROAD 6 Nigel Morris Rebecca Curtis
233112 THE JOB IS RIGHT 6 Mrs M Devine Michael Hourigan IRE
40-1311 THREE KINGDOMS (IRE) 5 Bloomfields John Ferguson
3C-4412 THUNDER AND ROSES (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Dessie Hughes IRE
3-11226 TIMESREMEMBERED (IRE) 6 Tim Syder & Sarah Prior Emma Lavelle
205-113 UPAZO (FR) 6 Philip Reynolds Willie Mullins IRE
22-22S1 URANO (FR) 6 Mrs M McMahon Willie Mullins IRE
1211 URBAN HYMN (FR) 6 Mr & Mrs G Calder Malcolm Jefferson
1211-15 URTICAIRE (FR) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE
61-11 VALSEUR LIDO (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins IRE
22-11 VAUTOUR (FR) 5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
1-1253 VERY WOOD (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE
26-0041 WICKLOW GOLD (FR) 6 Wicklow Bloodstock Limited Willie Mullins IRE
3114 WOUNDED WARRIOR (IRE) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE
211 WUFF (IRE) 6 Roger Brookhouse Tom George
81 entries
30 Irish-trained

[mayo]

Jonjo has had two runners in this and both won.

Mountain Tunes 33s ??? Hardly good enough ?



Jonjo O’Neill’s history-making hurdler Mountain Tunes is among a raft of young horses trained in Gloucestershire being aimed at the Cheltenham Festival.

The five-year-old earned his place in sporting folklore when he carried champion jockey AP McCoy to the 4,000th jumps victory of his career at Towcester in November.

O’Neill has given Mountain Tunes the chance to gain another momentous success by giving him an entry in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle over three miles at the March showpiece.

Mountain Tunes could be joined in the line-up by stablemate Flemenson, who won his first race for O’Neill and was a close second last time out at Exeter.

The Temple Guiting trainer has won the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle twice, with Black Jack Ketchum in 2006 and Wichita Lineman in 2007.

[Yeehaa]

Flemenson might be if interest in a handicap - has a good rep from p2p circuit if my memory is right ?

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

Both would be more Neptune horses I'd say RC. Especially Red Sherlock...

That is what I thought. Think there must be an angle on this market. Every feckin blogger in the country analyses the Supreme to death but no one looks at this

Kings Palace a worthy favourite and Pipe unlikely to run his best ones against one another. Liquidator to Supreme ?

[mayo]

I hear you RC

[mayo]

Mike Cattermole just said Kings Palace can put it up to Faugheen in this race on RTE.

Hope he is right. With Clondaw Court out might be a possibility ( that is pocket talk).

[gigginstown]

Briar Hill here and Faugheen for the Neptune surely. Vautour is the Supreme horse (Ted said he was on a 12s )

[Morning Glory]

Had a look at this but none the wiser.

Kings Palace and Briar Hill the top two. Captain Cutter the only other horse likely to go off at a single figure price. Everything else 20/1 + on betfair.

[mayo]

I'll do the copying this time

2014-02-13 13:15:00

Of the 3 Grade 1 novice hurdles, the Albert Bartlett has been the most predictable. Brave Inca was the last favourite to win the Supreme a decade ago (at 7/2), since which only 3 winners have started at single figure prices. The Neptune has been in the middle with two favourites, (Simonsig at 2/1 and Mikael D’Haguenet at 5/2,) winning in the last decade and two winners going off at a double figure price.

In the Albert Bartlett 4 favourites have gone in – At Fishers Cross (11/8), Bobs Worth (15/8), Wichita Lineman (11/8) and Black Jack Ketchum (evens,) with only one winner going off at a double figure price. I think there are two main reasons for this. Firstly, the race is less prestigious, (only became a Grade 1 in 2008,) and the field tends to have much less depth. Secondly, they go that much slower which gives the best horses more chance not to get into trouble in running.

It’s therefore not been a race where it’s paid to try to be too clever. I’ll always work on a value basis, but there are some races where their nature lends more to backing something nearer the front of the market.

There are 12 at 20/1 or shorter and plenty we can discount for ante-post purposes. Faugheen (14/1) is apparently heading for the Neptune, (even after the same connections Clondaw Court was scratched, there doesn’t seem to have been a change of plan.) Red Sherlock (14/1) and Royal Boy (20/1) also both run in the Neptune.

Of the remaining 9 there are a number who have other feasible targets. Deputy Dan (16/1) has been progressive, winning a Grade 2 at Warwick last time, (2m5f, heavy.) With favourite Rathvinden falling just as it was getting interesting, it’s hard to evaluate that form. His progression has coincided with heavy ground and whilst he has form on good to soft, his breeding suggests he could be a mudlark. Oliver Sherwood has said he’s keeping his options open, but he’s clearly hoping for soft ground so he can run Deputy Dan in the Neptune - so he can’t be backed ante-post for this.

Rathvinden (20/1) then ran a good race to be 2½l 2nd to Red Sherlock (who received 3lb) at Cheltenham. On the heavy ground there he looked to be outstayed over an extended 2m4f and he doesn’t obviously look like he wants 3m at this stage. It’s not clear how Willie Mullins will shuffle his pack but the likes of Briar Hill and Sure Reef look more obvious candidates for this, for all they’re in the same ownership. He’s therefore another who can’t be backed ante-post.

Champagne West (20/1) beat Deputy Dan 1l in December and has won off 123 and then in a novice since. Having qualified, the plan was the Pertemps Final. However, Philip Hobbs was trying to get him up to 137 as that was the mark he guesstimated he’d need to get a run – but he’s been hiked to 145. Given how well in you need to be to win the Pertemps Final, and that the highest mark given to an Albert Bartlett winner so far is 154, it might make sense for him to take his chance here, especially as the yard now has Fingal Bay as a Pertemps Final possible. He’s one to keep an eye on.

Urban Hymn (20/1) has always had a big reputation and started to fulfill it last time in the Grade 2 River Don, (extended 3m, soft,) when chinning Blakemount. He’s seen as a chaser for next season and with Oscar Rock in the same ownership its looking as if will run in the Neptune or bypass the Festival. I’m not sure whether he’d be effective on good ground.

Blakemount (20/1) was only a short head behind Urban Hymn in the River Don on soft ground, and being by Presenting you’d imagine he might well improve if getting a sound surface in this. 3m looks to suit and he has each-way prospects, without having exuded star quality as yet.

Briar Hill (5/1) was an impressive winner of the Bumper at last season’s Festival. He’s 3/3 over hurdles, having started at between 1/3 and 1/9. He’s made hard work of beating Azorian by 4l, (subsequently beaten miles by Faugheen and Vautour,) and Apache Jack, both over 2½m. He may just be lazy and only do enough, but last year’s Festival Bumper hasn’t worked out well and he might just have outstayed a substandard field. He could be anything, but he’s priced up on his Festival win and having a string of 1s next to his name. I’m open minded about how good he’ll turn out to be and, even in what’s looking a threadbare field, he’s not a betting proposition.

Sure Reef (16/1) pulled very hard last time when winning a Grade 2 at Leopardstown and Willie Mullins was understandably concerned that he wouldn’t settle in this. Being in the same ownership as Briar Hill, its possible he’ll go for the Neptune. He may fall between two stools – not quick enough for the Neptune, but not settling well enough for the Albert Bartlett.

The favourite is King’s Palace (7/2) and you couldn’t see a better jumper in a novice race. He’s fast and accurate but his form is starting to unravel. The 4 horses that chased him home last time have all been well beaten since, and whilst Creepy (who chased him home in October) won a Grade 2 next time, he’s been thrashed three times since. David Pipe has described him as a Welsh National horse and I’m not sure he’s got the class for this. I certainly wouldn’t be backing him ante-post at a skinny price.

Captain Cutter (10/1) brings Grade 1 form to the table from the Challow and beat King’s Palace in a bumper, (despite racing very wide and King’s Palace having had the advantage of a run). I’d thought that there would be the usual post-Challow debate about whether the winner should go for the Neptune, but this year commons sense appears to have prevailed and the Albert Bartlett is the target.

In Faugheen’s likely absence, I think Captain Cutter is the most talented horse in this. He was well on top of some classy novices in the Challow and, whilst he doesn’t yet jump as well as King’s Palace, he’s achieved more over hurdles and the feeling is that there’s much more to come. He’s versatile as to ground conditions and the only downside is that he’s been a bit fragile in the past - but the Henderson team appear to have had a pretty clear run with him this time.

It wasn’t until I really went through the market that I realised how few of these look likely to run, and how weak a race it could quickly turn into. I can see his price contracting significantly over the next month as the race takes shape. Ideally he’d be backable non runner-no bet, but based on last year there’s another 10 days before that’s going to be available – and I’d rather go in now ante-post and secure what looks a good price.

Despite it being a race for short priced horses, one that’s interesting at a big price is Gilt Shadow (40/1). He was a good 2nd to The Liquidator in the Grade 1 Bumper at the Punchestown Festival. He bolted up on his hurdles debut and went off 9/2 for the Grade 1 Royal Bond, but didn’t fire. Given a break, he was supposed to have needed the run when 3¼l 3rd to Sure Reef (who received 3lb) in a Grade 2 at Leopardstown over 2½m. That Leopardstown race is usually a strong contest and he was too keen off a slow early pace, before looking to blow up. It’s not clear if he goes to the Festival yet, and if he does whether he runs in this or the Neptune. He’s one to look at once non runner, no bet is available.

1pt Captain Cutter to win the Albert Bartlett @ 10/1

[Old Vic]

Good tip IMO. The champ has a great record in this too.

[racecaller13]

ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICES' HURDLE TRENDS 2014
The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, which is run over 3 miles, was first run as a grade 2 in 2005 but was elevated to grade 1 status in 2008. There will be many horses that will hold entries in this as well as the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle and so the picture for this race will become clearer once the declarations for the Neptune come out.

Below we take a look at the trends for the past 8 runnings:

Age
5yo: 1-5-33
6yo: 5-5-67
7yo: 3-4-43
8yo+: 0-4-18
No strong age trends, 8 of 9 winners (last 9) have been aged 6 or 7 but considering they have represented around 68.5 of the total runners that is not surprising.

Gender
Mares (0-1-8) have gained 1 place from their 8 runners, all of whom were priced 12/1 or above.

Breeding
Irish bred: 7-13-112
French bred: 2-2-19
British bred: 0-2-26
German bred: 0-1-3
American bred: 0-0-2
Irish bred have won 7 of 9 however they have represented 69.1% of total runners whereas French breds have a proportionally better record, winning 2 of 9 from 11.7% of total runners.
King's Theatre progeny: 10P612 (2-1-6) - one other winner out of a King's Theatre mare
Video Rock progeny: 11 (2-0-2)
Oscar progeny: 09160P841 (2-0-9)
Bob Back progeny: 412 (1-1-3)
Presenting progeny: 97001 (1-0-5)
Roselier progeny: 33P (0-2-3)
Old Vic progeny: P203 (0-2-4) - one winner out of an Old Vic mare

Recent/Past Form
8 of 9 winners finished in the first 2 last time (exception was 4th in the grade 2 Boyne Hurdle against seasoned hurdlers)
9 of 9 winners posted their highest RPR in last 2 starts
8 of 9 winners posted an RPR of 145+ last time
8 of 9 winners had run 3 to 6 times over hurdles in GB and Ire
7 of 9 winners had won a graded hurdle (2 exceptions placed in a grade 2)
9 of 9 winners had won over 2M 4F+
8 of 9 winners (last 7) had not run on the flat (exception had run in non-thoroughbred races in France)
5 of 7 British-trained winners had won at Cheltenham (1 exception was 7th in previous season's Triumph Hurdle & other was having course start)

Other Races
Classic Novice Hurdle winner (Red Sherlock): 1F11 (3-0-4)
Bristol Novice Hurdle winner (Kings Palace): 3141P2 (2-2-6)
Challow Novice Hurdle winner (Captain Cutter): 31 (1-1-2)
Hyde Novice Hurdle winner: 31P4 (1-1-4)
Hyde Novice Hurdle highest placed finisher to run in this: 3111P4 (3-1-6)
Prestige Novice Hurdle winner: 81 (1-0-2)
Liberty Insurance Novice Hurdle winner (Faugheen): 1PU (1-0-3)
Synergy Security Novice Hurdle winner (Sure Reef): 022 (0-2-3)
Synergy Security Novice Hurdle highest finisher to run in this: 032162U (1-3-7)
Navan Novice Hurdle winner (Briar Hill): 3P2 (0-2-3)
Leamington Novice Hurdle winner (Deputy Dan): 83 (0-1-2)
Slaney Novice Hurdle winner (Briar Hill): 0P (0-0-2)
Cork Stayers Novice Hurdle winner (The Job Is Right): 06 (0-0-2)
W.T. O'Grady Memorial EBF Novice Hurdle winner (Clondaw Court): 47 (0-0-2)
River Don Novice Hurdle winner (Urban Hymn): F858 (0-0-4)
4 of 9 winners ran in the Hyde Novice Hurdle, finishing 1223
4 of 7 British-trained winners ran in the Classic Novice Hurdle, finishing 6111
2 of 7 British-trained winners ran in the Bristol Novice Hurdle, finishing 11
2 of 7 British-trained winners ran in the Prestige Novice Hurdle, finishing 21

Trainers
Jonjo O’Neill (2-0-2) has seen both his runners taste success in this race (2006 & 2007).
Nicky Henderson (1-1-6) trained the first 2 home in 2011 while Alan King (1-1-9) has also gained a win and a place from his runners in this.
Rebecca Curtis (1-0-5) won the race last year with At Fishers Cross.
Paul Nicholls (0-3-8) has saddled a placed finisher in 3 of the last 6 runnings, while Willie Mullins (0-3-11) has had filled a place in 3 of last 5 renewals.
Colin Tizzard (0-1-4), Emma Lavelle (0-1-4) and Nigel Twiston-Davies (0-1-8) have each saddled a placed finisher in one of the last 3 runnings.
Irish trained horses (2-6-44) have a fair record but if you remove Charles Byrnes’ runners their record becomes 1-4-39.

Price
8 of 9 winners were priced 9/1 or below & came from first 5 in the betting
Favourites (4-2-9) have won 4 of the 9 runnings but show a level stakes profit of 0.63.


Summary:

Based on the trends from the 9 previous runnings you are looking for a horse:

- Aged 6 or 7
- Irish or French bred
- Ideally sired by King's Theatre, Oscar, Video Rock or Bob Back
- Finished in first 2 last time out
- Posted an RPR of 145+ last time
- Had 3 to 6 runs over hurdles in GB & Ire
- Has won a graded hurdle
- Won over 2M 4F+
- Finished in first 3 in Hyde Novice Hurdle
- Finished in first 2 in Bristol, Prestige and/or Classic Novice Hurdle
- Had not run on the flat
- Course winner (or trained in Ireland)
- Trained by Jonjo O’Neill
- Priced 9/1 or less

http://racecaller.com/horse-racing-forum/cheltenham-day-4/albert-bartlett-novices-hurdle-trends-2014-1392074984