Run over 3m, the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle can sometimes be a forgotten race given it is the race before the Gold Cup. However, future winners of the blue riband, Bobs Worth and Minella Indo, both won this race as novices, so it can point to some stars of the future. We have looked into the most vital trends regarding the race to point you towards a winner.
Age
The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle was only introduced in 2005, so we only have 19 editions to pick through, compared to at least 20 in many other races. From every running to date in this race, it pays, as with most top novice hurdles, to be six years old. That age group have won ten of the renewals, over half of the total.
If your preferred punt is not six, then seven is the best alternative, with seven-year-olds claiming six of the remaining nine contests. It is unsurprising in a race in which stamina often comes to the fore that five-year-olds have a poor record, with just two wins, one of which came in the inaugural running in 2005. Just one horse older than seven, Unowhatimeanharry at age eight in 2016, has won the race, perhaps slightly surprisingly given the stamina impetus.
Age of All Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Winners
- 5 – 2 winners
- 6 – 10 winners
- 7 – 6 winners
- 8+ – 1 winner
Starting Price
While the Supreme and the Baring Bingham novice hurdles tend to have strong favourites in the majority of renewals, that is rarely the case in the Albert Bartlett. No horse has ever gone off odds-on, with Black Jack Ketchum, at Evens, the shortest-priced favourite in the race’s history. For good measure, he won the 2006 renewal.
Other favourites shorter than 2/1 in Wichita Lineman, Bobs Worth and At Fishers Cross obliged in the early years, but this is now a race in which punters can really take the market leaders on. Nine of the last ten winners have started at double-figure prices, a remarkable record, and with the open nature of the race, that could well be extended in 2024. Either stick with a strong favourite, if there is to be one, or find one that is good value.
Starting Price of All Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Winners
- <Evs – 0 winners
- Evs-15/8 – 4 winners
- 2/1-9/2 – 0 winners
- 5/1-9/1 – 5 winners
- 10/1-18/1 – 6 winners
- 20/1+ – 4 winners
Official Rating
Moulin Riche, Minella Indo and The Nice Guy had not qualified for official ratings before winning this race, but the other 16 winners create a good overview of what is required. Whereas in the Supreme the average rating of the winner was 147, with it increasing to 152 within the last decade, the Albert Bartlett has only required a winner to be rated around 144, while in the last decade, that number has actually fallen slightly to 143.
The other Grade 1 novice hurdles have improved with time, but you do not necessarily need a class horse to win, as suggested by the starting prices of recent victors. At Fishers Cross, Unowhatimeanharry and Monkfish were officially the best horses coming into the race with marks of 152, while Stay Away Fay’s rating last year, at just 136, was the second lowest overall, and smallest since Nenuphar Collonges in 2008.
Official Rating of All Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Winners
- 135-139 – 4 winners
- 140-144 – 5 winners
- 145-149 – 3 winners
- 150+ – 4 winners
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