Cheltenham Festival 2012 - Albert Bartlett

Cheltenham Festival (Day 4, Race 3)

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (2.40)

Advice: 4 pts win Boston Bob (6/4 general)

 

American Spin: Proper stayer, his one win coming in a 3m3f soft ground novice hurdle (by 27 lengths); Held by Sea Of Thunder on the better ground with ease last time and hard to fancy here.

Benheir: One from two over hurdles, improved markedly for a step up in trip and possibly for easier ground with wide margin Ffos Las win in January; Couldn’t follow up last time and needs to find around 20lbs + to get competitive here, which seems unlikely even if he enjoys step up in trip.

Big Occasion: Useful on the flat for the O’Brien’s and pleasing first debut when coming away fairly nicely from Reuben Cotter at Chepstow first time out; Tired to go too fast for his own good at Huntingdon on Boxing Day (that shown by his latest win) and nice prospect, for all that this is much, much harder than any of his two wins.

Boston Bob: Rapidly improved since joining Mullins yard (formerly with Howard Johnson), winning comfortably on seasonal/hurdling debut before engaging overdrive to win Navan Novice Hurdle (Grade 1), with three well regarded sorts behind (including Jetson), two of which have won next time out (second Mount Benbulben reopposes today; was not at his best but still well held); Arguably even more impressive when winning Grade 2 at Leopardstown last time, having to give 10lbs to the rest of the field (included Sea Of Thunder, although he hated the ground); Question mark over ground but nothing wrong with the trip and likely to prove tough.

Brindisi Breeze: Starkly progressive since going over hurdles and stepping up in trip, romping home on heavy ground latest in Haydock Grade 2 from several other rivals who were also improving; This a change in ground for him but foolish to rule him out on that score.

Dawn Commander: Followed up point win with maiden hurdle success at Wexford but not found same form for Charlie Longsdon, coming up short when sent here for only other course start behind Barbatos; Beaten last time at Bangor when trying to take advantage of handicap mark of 125.

Fill The Power: Won by 21 lengths at Aintree five starts back and bolted up once again at Newcastle; Worry is that he’s only had the one start at this level and that when beaten by miles in the Challow; Hard to see him getting competitive.

Fox Appeal: Progressive this season, winning three times despite racing very keenly three times; Seemed to improve for his first start at this distance when winning getting up on the nod at Taunton two starts back but then all out of his higher mark there a month on; This too hard in all likeliness despite progression.

Grand Vision:  Has good form in maiden hurdles going back to October, while his two handicap wins are that of a rapidly improving hors who has enjoyed the step up in trip to three miles; Wonder if heavy ground accentuated his superiority last time but respected nevertheless despite needing much more to be competitive.

 

Hard To Swallow: Has good course form, having stuck on well for fourth behind Fingal Bay and then again behind improving Battonier in Grade 2 last time; Feasible that he improved again for another step up in trip for all he’s got a bit to make up on form.

 

Ipsos Du Berlais: Followed up promising bumper win with easy maiden hurdle success and with that in mind, probably not suited by slowly run race when losing his unbeaten record in November; Seemed held by Boston Bob and Mount Benbulben on Navan form two starts back though and those two proffered again.

Lovcen:  Made promising enough hurdling debut (16 & ¼ lengths behind Rocky Creek) although he was clearly improved when landing Towcester novice by 17 lengths; Fell to early to tell what would have happened in Grade 2 at Doncaster but can’t fail to be anything but impressed with his Wincaton handicap hurdle win; Not without his chance.

Meister Eckhart: Won by less than a length on his first hurdling start when brought to Rebecca Curtis’s stable from Ireland, but had no chances with Brindisi Breeze last time out; No reason for that form to be reversed.

Mount Benbulben: One of the better staying novices seen out early in the season, impressive with how he dismissed Rebel Fitz in the Monskfield Novice Hurdle; Second and well beaten by Boston Bob in the Navan Novice Hurdle but excuses for that day (Said to be wrong behind) and one of the main players here, with a step up in trip seemingly a positive for him.

Rocky Creek: Well fancied by stable to make a winning debut at Exeter, where he was edged out of things late on (10 lengths ahead of Grand Vision; Much better once again when running out a clear cut winner of Doncaster Grade 2 (got weight from runner up but still did it well enough) and looks sure to improve again for a tougher test; Interesting.

Sea Of Thunder: Vastly improved for step up in distance when set to run out a deeply impressive winner of Grade 2 won by last year’s winner Mossley here; Since came fifth in Grade 2 won by Boston Bob but hated the heavy ground that day and was making ground slowly over a trip too short; Should get closer to the winner today.

Sivola De Sivola: Seventh in this last year; Seems improved this time around based on impressive Newbury handicap win, followed by eyecatching fourth in hotly contested handicap hurdle over 2 miles last time; This trip is sure to suit but Graded company seems to be beyond him on all evidence.

The Bosses Cousin: Back from longish absence in style with easy win in bumper and maiden hurdle, although both were over two miles and haven’t worked out since; More needed here.

The Drudids Nephew: Good debut at Ascot when third to promising pair but second of those was thrashed by Brindisi Brieeze at Haydock, which tempers enthusiasm despite his game win at Kempton last time.

Tour Des Champs: Won nicely on debut at Starford but since been beaten by Big Occasion at Chepstow and hard to fancy on either of his handicap runs, the second of which saw him oulled up last time.

VERDICT: BOSTON BOB steps up to 3 miles for the first time but he’s looked as if he’ll thrive on that – it could be what he needs on good ground – and his form of his two graded wins have been franked on multiple occasions since. The quick ground he’ll encounter is a possible worry but he did win his bumper on this sort of surface and his connections seem confident he’ll handle the ground.  Expect Mount Benbulben and Sea Of Thunder to get much closer to him than they did last time out, while Rocky Creek and Brindisi Breeze are novices of considerable potential in what looks a decent renewal.