Black Hercules Tops Albert Bartlett Market

Race three on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival meeting is the Albert Bartlett Novices` Hurdle. This Grade One event will see the 20 runners tackle 12 hurdles on the 3m course. The current favourite for the race is Willie Mullins` Black Hercules which can be backed at 4/1 with most bookmakers.

Black Hercules has some Cheltenham Festival experience after finishing the beaten favourite in last season`s Champion Bumper. The horse certainly didn`t disgrace himself back in fourth but will look to not make it two in a row and justify his popularity this time out.

The Andrea and Graham Wylie charge has had two rides over hurdles so far, both being first place finishes in Cork. He was the easy winner over 2m on his debut, A Hardy Nailer in second being the only horse even close to giving him a race - third place completing 26 lengths off. It was a similar story on his next outing over 3m, whilst Alpha Des Obeaux was within two lengths of this five-year-old, Annamatopoeia in third was 29 lengths shy of the leader. What`s more, that race was a Grade Three and the horse was the considerable top weight.

A negative is that both his hurdles wins so far have come on heavy ground though he does have flat form on softer. With the going currently good-to-soft in Gloucestershire connections will have to hope that they don`t have a mudlark on their hands.

Black Hercules is joined at the top of the betting by No More Heroes, the Grade Two winner currently being available for support at 5/1 with william hill.

Whilst No More Heroes has more hurdling experience than his closest market rival with three runs so far, he is yet to tackle the full 24f required in the Albert Bartlett. The Gigginstown Stud charge did, however, open his account with a 22f win at Punchestown before winning his 20f Grade Two at Navan and both performances suggests that this distance should be no problem.

This will be the horse`s first race in mainland Britain and, more worryingly, his first hurdling ride in a field of more than eight runners. No More Heroes will have to show great mental aptitude in order to be able to handle such new experiences. With good form on soft ground, conversely, the George Elliott mount will be better placed to enjoy the Cheltenham going and should be there or thereabouts should he be strong enough to deal with the slight changes from his normal racing routine.

Margaret Mullins` Martello Tower and Dan Skelton`s Value At Risk are the pair next in the betting at 10/1. Both are available at this price at most well established and well trusted bookmakers.

The former is another who will be making his first run in England but is one of the most experienced hurdlers in the race and will be looking to make this count. With five runs already under his belt, Martello Tower is already a two-time Grade Three winner and a one-time Grade Three place horse. There are concerns regarding this Barry O`Connell-owned charge, however. The main one being that these graded races that this seven-year-old were not particularly strong or indeed deep - his last Grade Three victory (Limerick, 24f) came in a field of three runners.

Value At Risk finished 13th in last year`s Bumper and picked up a second place at this course in the Grade Two trial for the Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle. The Kayf Tara-sired mount is only a one-time winner over obstacles and is yet to complete the full 24f and others may be better placed to take this one.

The best of the rest may well be Caracci Apache at 16/1 (Numerous).

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13/03/2015     © Frixo 2026