Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Tips: Familiar faces to the fore

Registered as the Spa Novices' Hurdle, the race was introduced in 2005 when the meeting extended from three to four days. Three miles is the trip, and 12 hurdles on the New course will be jumped.

We've enjoyed some outstanding winners in the past such as Bobs Worth, a three-time Festival hero all told including the Gold Cup, and 2007 champion Wichita Lineman, thrilling winner of the Festival Trophy here two years later when rattling home from a mile back under the mercurial AP McCoy.

Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

My fancy for this G1 won't win any originality contests, but ticks lots of boxes in the cold light of winner-seeking day.

A six-year-old gelding by G1 middle distance scorer Doctor Dino, trained by the force of nature that is Willie Mullins, unbeaten in three runs over hurdles, and to be ridden by the mighty Paul Townend - Doctor Steinberg.

The selection is hovering around the top of the market as I speak along with Paul Nolan's Thedeviluno, and given all of the above it's not remotely tricky to see why.

Doctor Steinberg @ 7/2

Those three spins over timber were nicely progressive - in turn achieving Racing Post ratings of 129, 139 and 149 respectively. Glorious symmetry then, and with the last run being over 2m 6f this extra couple of furlongs should pose no difficulties.

He's run well in a couple of bumpers on good ground, should the terrain be on the decent side, but has excelled over hurdles on soft and heavy, which would probably suit even better.

Versatile ground-wise in all likelihood then, and with his team in typically prime Festival order, hoovering up especially the Grade 1 heats with their traditional, annual efficiency.

Jalon d'Oudairies each-way @ 18/1

I'm looking to a Gordon Elliott-trained rival for an each-way interest, and we're paying 1/5 the odds, 4 places.

Jalon d'Oudairies is a tasty price as I write, and races in the unmistakeable Gigginstown Stud livery. Danny Gilligan rides, for the first time, and the horse has three wins from just six career starts all told.

Bags of potential then and room for improvement, particularly as the Naas maiden success when last seen 34 days ago was achieved by an easy 27l. We'll know a lot more after this, but I feel there's some value to be had even if of course the horse is stepping up several grades into very testing waters.

The seven-year-old French bred ran in the 2024 Champion Bumper here and was a superb third, beaten just 4.25l. He didn't run again until November 2025 but has started on two further occasions since and looks hopefully to have overcome whatever was keeping him from the racetrack.

Cracking-looking contest, and a gorgeous hors d'oeuvres for the Cheltenham Gold Cup that follows.

Cheltenham Tips with Betfred Insights.