2.40 ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICES HURDLE: RACE PREVIEW

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THE Albert Bartlett is for Novices who are just below Ladbroke World Hurdle standard. It was added to The Festival in 2005 and it is run over the three mile.

Willie Mullins’ Ballycasey will probably head the market courtesy of two impressive hurdle victories, albeit in moderate company.

At Fishers Cross – trained by Rebecca Curtis – won a Grade 2 novices’ hurdle at this course in January by a neck from The New One, and stayed on well under pressure in the process.

African Gold has only been beaten once in six starts so far, on his hurdling debut at Carlisle in October when runner-up having made a successful start to his career in a Stratford bumper last May.Since then, the five-year-old has rattled off a four-timer – at Wetherby, in a couple of Newbury handicaps and under a double penalty in a Doncaster novices’ event where he was eased down to score by four lengths from Close Touch.

Utopie Des Bordes represents the powerful Nicky Henderson stable after recording her third successive victory in a listed event at Sandown. She was bought for €255,000 and her French form includes a victory over the useful Fago in a Grade 1 chase at Auteuil last November.

Champagne Fever triumphed in the Champion Bumper here 12 months ago on good ground, before winning over 2m4f four runs later in Grade 2 class two months ago. He then won the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle over 2m2f last month (2m2f), but whether he’ll stay 3m remains to be seen.

Pont Alexandre has an entry but it's unlikely he will run.

One option would be the six-year-old gelding Rule The World who won well in a Grade 2 at Naas in January, taking victory by a 16-length margin and beating the 1/4 favourite Champagne Fever – who is also entered here – in the process.

Le Bec scored impressively on his hurdles debut over 2m 5f on good ground at Kempton in the autumn before chasing home high-class mudlark Taquin Du Seuil in a Neptune trial run in a bog at Sandown.

Shutthefrontdoor is a good name for those who are looking for a dark horse at big price.

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