Officially registered as The Spa Novices' Hurdle, The Albert Bartlett was added to the festival in 2005 with the advent of the fourth day. It is run on the Friday over 3 miles of the New Course with 12 flights of hurdles to be jumped. One of the best winners, and one of my favourite horses ever, was Brindisi Breeze under Campbell Gillies. Due to tragic circumstances both horse and jockey are no longer with us but the memory of those slick jumps and unrelenting gallop will stay with us forever: Other previous winners include Wichita Lineman and subsequent Gold Cup hero Bobs Worth as well as Penhill, who followed up a year later in the Stayers' Hurdle. The 2019 renewal has received a whopping 107 initial entries but, of course (and at the risk of sounding like a broken record) there are a number with alternative entries at the festival and running plans will likely only become clear at final declarations stage. This is the most open betting heat of the 3 novice hurdle races with Commander Of Fleet (Gordon Elliot / Gigginstwon) and Birchdale (Nicky Henderson / JP McManus) vying for favouritism at around 7/1 - 8/1 NRNB. The former appeared to relish the step up in trip at the Dublin Racing Festival, taking the Grade 1 novice hurdle over 2m 6f from Rhinestone but they finished in a bit of a heap and the one I would take from the race in the context of this event would be 2018 Champion Bumper winner Relegate who stayed on really well and looks like 3 miles will suit. Festival form and all that, and the mare will again get 7lbs from the geldings at the festival. Birchdale won a Warwick maiden before taking the Grade 2 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle over 2m 4f on Trials Day at the end of January. He was perhaps a little lucky that Brewin'upastorm fell at the last hurdle and he is also entered in the Bayymore Novices' Hurdle on the Wednesday of the festival.
Are you worried that he hasn't run since Punchestown at the end of April and is yet to jump a hurdle in public? Has he had a setback or is it another Mullins Masterplan?
Setback I don't think but honestly I don't know. I bet him believe in September-October, I don't remember. They have been trying to run a race since before Christmas but the lack of rain has not made it possible. In the last two months he has been entered three or four times in races from 2m 4f to 3m and hasn't run . Again entered on Wednesday in Punchestown 2m 4f but with the ground as it's now sure he doesn't run and time flies. Anyway we already know that if there is a coach who can have a horse without running eleven months and win is Mullins. Maybe if he doesn't have a training run go straight to Aintree or Punchestown.
