What does the past show us about the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle? Read our guide on historical trends to give you some stats for your betting picks!
The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle is a more recent addition to Cheltenham Festival, only being added following the introduction of a fourth day in 2005.
Not only is it the longest novice hurdling event at the festival, but it also has a reputation of producing great talents that have gone on to see bigger success in other prestigious races like the Gold Cup.
If you aren’t aware of the history in this event, this guide is here to remedy that. So, for the newer bettors out there, here’s some information to help with your choices and give you a few nuggets of knowledge!
Keep reading below to discover some regular statistics and trends that have appeared in the last couple of decades – they might just be able assist your betting strategies…
Key Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle trends
Introduced in 2005, the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle is open to horses aged five and older and is considered a Grade 1 National Hunt Hurdle race. With many factors to be considered before you bet, it’s worth keeping these in mind:
Unpredictability: Being reserved for novice racers, it offers some more interesting results than other events. This is due to the unknown element that comes with inexperienced and unfamiliar horses.
Be aware of the trainers’ nationality: When placing your bet, pay attention to whether the trainer is British or Irish. Certain nationalities see more success in particular events, and, sometimes, there are significant differences in success rates.
Does the favourite usually win the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle?
Out of the 21 times that the race has been run, there are a surprisingly low number of winners who entered as the favourite. They have only come out on top four times, with a fair few shocks spread throughout the history of the race. Here are the only favourites to have tasted victory in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle:
At Fishers Cross (2013) – 11/8
Bobs Worth (2011) – 15/8
Wichita Lineman (2007) – 11/8
Black Jack Ketchum (2006) – 1/1
As this is the case, it seems to be that betting against the favoured horses is the way to go. And with outside horses like Stellar Story (2024) at 33/1 odds and Minella Indo (2019) at 50/1 odds seeing results, who knows what can happen?
What is the average age of an Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winning horse?
As a novice event, the age range for this race is more limited than some of the others held at Cheltenham. However, with the entry age being five as of 2023, it seems that a year or two of experience is needed before most horses are able to put in a winning performance:
Jasmine De Vaux (2025) – 6 years
Stellar Story (2024) – 7 years
Stay Far Away (2023) – 6 years
The Nice Guy (2022) – 7 years
Vanillier (2021) – 6 years
Monkfish (2020) – 6 years
Minella Indo (2019) – 6 years
Kilbricken Storm (2018) – 7 years
Penhill (2017) – 6 years
Unowhatimeanharry (2016) – 8 years
Martello Tower (2015) – 7 years
Very Wood (2014) – 5 years
At Fishers Cross (2013) – 6 years
Brindisi Breeze (2012) – 6 years
Bobs Worth (2011) – 6 years
Considering that for 13 of the previous 15 years, horses aged six or seven years old have won this race, it appears that this is the prime age bracket. Very Wood (2014) is the youngest horse in this list, aged five; however, they still required a year to mature with the entry age being four at that time.
So, next time you’re betting on this race, picking a horse that’s got a little more know-how may just give you the edge over other bettors!
How many Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winners won last time out?
A great indicator of potential success is looking at a horse’s previous form and seeing if they’ve been performing well beforehand. With eight of the last 15 winners not managing to win their previous race, it looks to be a fairly even split compared to those that did:
Jasmine De Vaux (2025) – 4th in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (didn’t win last time out)
Stellar Story (2024) – 4th in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (didn’t win last time out)
Stay Far Away (2023) – 2nd in the Albert Bartlett River Don Novices’ Hurdle (didn’t win last time out)
The Nice Guy (2022) – 1st in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle
Vanillier (2021) – 10th in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors ’50k Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff’ Novice Hurdle (didn’t win last time out)
Monkfish (2020) – 1st in the W.T. O’Grady Memorial Irish EBF Novice Hurdle
Minella Indo (2019) – 2nd in the Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle (didn’t win last time out)
Kilbricken Storm (2018) – 3rd in the Betfred Challow Novices’ Hurdle (didn’t win last time out)
Penhill (2017) – 1st in the Ladbrokes Rated Novice Chase
Unowhatimeanharry (2016) – 1st in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle
Martello Tower (2015) – 2nd in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (didn’t win last time out)
Very Wood (2014) – 3rd in the Slaney Novice Hurdle (didn’t win last time out)
At Fishers Cross (2013) – 1st in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle
Brindisi Breeze (2012) – 1st in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Haydock Park)
Bobs Worth (2011) – 1st in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle
Although previous race results have been mixed, the fact that the last three years have seen horses fail to win beforehand indicates a potential new Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle trend coming into play. Notably, with Vanillier (2021) seeing victory after finishing 10th in the last race, don’t rule out horses based on this stat alone!
When did Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winners last compete?
Another stat to keep in mind is when former winners last competed in a previous race. This can be a great indicator for the ideal resting time between races without a horse losing its competitive sharpness. A somewhat consistent pattern has appeared when looking back across the last decade and a half:
Jasmine De Vaux (2025) – 41 days
Stellar Story (2024) – 41 days
Stay Far Away (2023) – 48 days
The Nice Guy (2022) – 47 days
Vanillier (2021) – 41 days
Monkfish (2020) – 54 days
Minella Indo (2019) – 29 days
Kilbricken Storm (2018) – 76 days
Penhill (2017) – 78 days
Unowhatimeanharry (2016) – 33 days
Martello Tower (2015) – 47 days
Very Wood (2014) – 68 days
At Fishers Cross (2013) – 48 days
Brindisi Breeze (2012) – 27 days
Bobs Worth (2011) – 48 days
Though some variation and spread has occurred, there is a regular period between races that crops up. This seems to be between 41 days and 48 days, with eight of the 15 years following this trend. Though outliers do exist – with Penhill (2017) being the most extreme of the lot, having a wait of 78 days after his previous race – there is still a general pattern to be observed.
Are Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winners usually British or Irish trained?
The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle has been largely won by Irish trainers over the last 15 years. With nine wins for them compared to the British trainers’ six, they have seen greater success:
Jasmine De Vaux (2025) – Irish trained
Stellar Story (2024) – Irish trained
Stay Far Away (2023) – British trained
The Nice Guy (2022) – Irish trained
Vanillier (2021) – Irish trained
Monkfish (2020) – Irish trained
Minella Indo (2019) – Irish trained
Kilbricken Storm (2018) – British trained
Penhill (2017) – Irish trained
Unowhatimeanharry (2016) – British trained
Martello Tower (2015) – Irish trained
Very Wood (2014) – Irish trained
At Fishers Cross (2013) – British trained
Brindisi Breeze (2012) – British trained
Bobs Worth (2011) – British trained
Seeing as British trainers have only won once since 2019, it’s safe to say that Irish trainers have been a force to reckon with in recent years!
Which trainer has had the most success in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle?
Horses and jockeys may be the ones putting in the performances on the day, but the trainers are the ones who set them up for success. The previous decade and a half says that Willie Mullins is the trainer with the most oomph, seeing him accrue four wins since 2017:
Jasmine De Vaux (2025) – Willie Mullins
Stellar Story (2024) – Gordon Elliott
Stay Far Away (2023) – Paul Nicholls
The Nice Guy (2022) – Willie Mullins
Vanillier (2021) – Gavin Cromwell
Monkfish (2020) – Willie Mullins
Minella Indo (2019) – Henry De Bromhead
Kilbricken Storm (2018) – Colin Tizzard
Penhill (2017) – Willie Mullins
Unowhatimeanharry (2016) – Harry Fry
Martello Tower (2015) – Margaret Mullins
Very Wood (2014) – Noel Meade
At Fishers Cross (2013) – Rebecca Curtis
Brindisi Breeze (2012) – Lucinda Russell
Bobs Worth (2011) – Nicky Henderson
Broadening the scope, and considering the full history of the race also tells you the same thing, with Mullins’ four wins placing him as the best trainer since its inception.
Jonjo O’Neill is the only other trainer to have won the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle more than once since it began, courtesy of his back-to-back wins in 2006 and 2007.
Why is it important to consider Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle trends when betting?
Making a successful Cheltenham bet can be difficult, but with a bit of research into trends and stats from a race’s history can make all the difference. Picking up a few bits of information like past form and which trainers have been successful can assist in your choices; though no results can be guaranteed, having a few stats up your sleeve could help your odds.
As always, if you want to discover more information on other races at the festival, check out our Cheltenham blog page to read guides similar to this!
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winners
To keep them fresh in your mind before you bet, here are the last five winners of the race:
Jasmine De Vaux (2025)
Stellar Story (2024)
Stay Far Away (2023)
The Nice Guy (2022)
Vanillier (2021)
If you want to learn extra information about the previous winners here, you should have a read of our guide on the history of the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winners for a more in-depth explanation!
