2023 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Betting Tips
Corbetts Cross takes his place at the top of the betting market, with Emmet Mullins potentially having a successful day when it comes to the Friday of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival. With the Irish handler having Filey Bay in the County Hurdle, he also has the market leader for the Albert Bartlett, with the six-year-old having racked up a string of wins.
There was a victory in the Johnstown Novice Hurdle when the horse obliged at odds of 7/4, with a narrow win in the Grade 2 encounter, while this was the third consecutive win although the Cheltenham encounter will be a step up. Embassy Gardens is perhaps a more value selection and there was plenty to like about a recent Novice Hurdle win.
The triumph at Thurles on 22 January was achieved by a massive thirty-five lengths, with Three Card Brag another Novice Hurdle winner last time out although it was only a field of four horses on that occasion. Perhaps the Gigginstown-owned Favori De Champdou can continue his winning run considering three victories have been dotted up.
There was plenty to like about a win for the eight-year-old who got home by over four lengths. Back to back wins came at Thurles in November, with Elliott also having Absolute Notions and the horse punched above his weight as a 12/1 shot when competing in a Grade 1 encounter which was run over two miles and six furlongs.
There are lots of lively each-way betting outsiders who are lining up for the 2022 Albert Barlett Novices’ Hurdle. John McConnell is a lesser-known trainer when it comes to National Hunt horse racing, although he could have a rare Cheltenham Festival winner in the form of Bardenstown Lad.
The seven-year-old has won four of his previous five renewals, with the horse most recently obliging at odds-on when winning the Scottish Stayers’ Hurdle although that didn’t tell us a great deal considering there were only a couple of horses in the race. However, the horse also won a Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham Racecourse back in October.
From an each-way betting perpective, this horse looks to be a great pick, although Ginto will be stepping up in trip after recording three victories over a distance of two miles and four furlongs. These three wins were recorded at Navan, so the big question is whether he will step up in trip successfully and also act at Cheltenham.
Hollow Games has managed to run further than two miles and four furlongs this season, finishing third in a Novices’ Hurdle at Leopardstown Racecourse, with the runner finishing just behind a rival for the 2022 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, with Minella Crooner having caught the eye a great deal this season.
The Elliott-trained runner has won three of his five outings this season, with the latest effort being at Leopardstown over two miles and six furlongs. Previously to this, it was a comfortable win in a Maiden Hurdle over three miles on soft ground, although the horse still has plenty to prove.
Willie Mullins has an interesting runner in the form of The Nice Guy and the horse has collected a spate of wins along the way. The seven-year-old won a Maiden Hurdle at Naas by seven lengths, with the horse being sent off as the 6/5 betting favourite and this could represent a tasty each-way betting price.
The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle is known affectionately as “The Potato Race” due to the sponsor being known for producing that vegetable, with this being a stamina-sapping three mile encounter over hurdles which is a fantastic encounter.
This is often a stepping stone to the Stayers’ Hurdle and Thyme Hill is currently likely to go off as favourite, with the six-year-old having won on three consecutive encounters this season and there’s plenty to like about the Philip Hobbs-trained charge.
Richard Johnson is likely to be on board for Hobbs and the horse triumphed in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle on 19 November when obliging as the 11/8 favourite, with the runner beating Champagne Well by a distance of five lengths.
Previously to this, there had been a success at Chepstow, while there was also a festive victory at Newbury and the horse previously finished in an impressive third place against winner Envoi Allen in the Champion Bumper at last year’s Festival.
Speaking of Envoi Allen, the world is the horse’s oyster as far as the Festival is concerned. After a 234-day break, there was a triumph in a modest race at Down Royal before further successes at Fairyhouse and Naas.
Gordon Elliott hasn’t worked out the best race for Envoi Allen just yet but it would be no surprise to see him pitch up for this encounter and odds of 12/1 about the charge would be a huge price if it were to line up in this race.
Elliott will sure to have lively contenders in this race, with Fury Road having scored a hat-trick of recent successes when obliging at Down Royal, Navan and Limerick.
Then we have another Elliott-trained charge in the form of Abacadabras, with the six-year-old having finished in the first two of his previous five races.
Since finishing fourth in the Bumper at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, there was a second-placed finish at the Punchestown Festival although there were successes at Gowran Park, Navan and Leopardstown.
Colin Tizzard also has several entries in the race, with The Big Breakaway having the best claims at this point in time, with the five-year-old yet to taste defeat and there have been impressive performances at Chepstow and Newbury.
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