Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 2026 Tips, Trends & Runners (Cheltenham Festival)




Zoë Jayne Beard
Published Date: March 9, 2026 7:37 PM






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Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 2026 Race Overview
The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle takes place at 15:20 on Friday 13th March 2026 on Cheltenham Festival Day 4, better known as Gold Cup Day.
Run over 3 miles, this Grade 1 contest is one of the toughest novice hurdles of the week and often rewards horses with proven stamina, strong jumping and the ability to keep finding up the famous Cheltenham hill. It is a race that regularly produces future staying stars, with many previous runners going on to compete in top staying hurdles and novice chases in later seasons.
Unlike some of the sharper novice contests earlier in the week, the Albert Bartlett is usually a proper test from flag fall. Horses that travel strongly but still have enough left for the closing stages tend to be the ones that come out on top, especially if the early pace is strong.
With a deep field of improving novices set to line up again in 2026, this looks another highly competitive renewal and one of the trickier Festival races for punters to solve.


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The Albert Bartlett is often one of the most demanding novice hurdles of the whole Cheltenham Festival, and looking at the trends can help narrow the field.
Key Albert Bartlett Trends
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Proven stamina is absolutely vital over this 3-mile novice hurdle trip
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Horses stepping up in distance often improve significantly in this race
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Strong recent form in Class 1 novice hurdles is a major plus
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Horses that handle good to soft ground and can travel kindly tend to go well
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Trainers with strong Festival novice records often target this race with staying types rather than speedy hurdlers
Because this is such a stamina test, flashy two-mile form does not always translate. The Albert Bartlett often suits horses who:
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stay very strongly
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keep jumping under pressure
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have shown improvement with racing
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look likely to relish a proper end-to-end gallop
This is also a race where battle-hardened, progressive novices can outrun more fashionable names if they are better equipped for the trip.


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The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle has built a reputation as one of the most gruelling tests for young hurdlers at the Cheltenham Festival.
It is often the race where future staying stars emerge, and because of the distance and intensity, it regularly throws up dramatic finishes. Horses that appear beaten turning for home can still stay on strongly up the hill, while others with stronger speed-based profiles can empty quickly in the final furlong.
For punters, it is often a race where keeping things simple helps: side with horses who look like thorough stayers, arrive in form and have the constitution for a proper Cheltenham battle.
The 2026 renewal looks packed with unexposed staying novices, and there are several runners on the racecard with really appealing profiles for a race of this nature.
Key Contenders
Doctor Steinberg
Willie Mullins looks to hold a very strong hand in this race and Doctor Steinberg stands out immediately. He arrives with a 100% hurdle record, having won all three of his hurdle starts, and his record in this class is particularly striking with 2 wins from 2 Class 1 runs. Add in a 60% record on similar going and he looks one of the strongest profiles in the field. For a novice staying hurdle, that combination of winning form and proven class is hard to knock.
No Drama This End
Paul Nicholls’ runner is another with a rock-solid profile for this contest. He is also 3-from-3 over hurdles, has winning course form at Cheltenham, an excellent 80% record on similar going, and a superb 75% strike rate in Class 1 company. That immediately suggests he belongs in a race of this standard and has the quality to mix it with the best novices in the staying division.
Kripticjim
J Tizzard’s runner brings serious momentum into the race. He has won 3 of his 4 starts over hurdles, has already won at Cheltenham, owns a 66.7% record on similar ground, and has already proven he can win in this class. In novice races at the Festival, course form is always worth respecting, and Kripticjim has the profile of a horse who could take another step forward.
Moneygarrow
Dan Skelton’s runner is a fascinating contender, especially with Harry Skelton booked. He has won both of his starts at the distance, which is a huge positive for a race like this, and his overall profile suggests there could still be more to come over staying trips. In a race where proven stamina matters so much, that record over three miles immediately puts him on the shortlist.
Jalon D’oudairies
Gordon Elliott’s runner also makes plenty of appeal. He has already placed at the Cheltenham Festival, has a 100% record at the distance, and has shown strong consistency on similar ground. His previous Festival experience could count for plenty in a race where temperament and resilience are often just as important as raw ability.
Other interesting names in the race include Spinningayarn, Kazansky, Thedeviluno, Ubatuba, Fruit De Mer, and Espresso Milan, while Mullins also has further depth with Doctor Du Mesnil and Laurets D’estruval. On paper, this looks a very strong novice staying hurdle.
Doctor Steinberg
Doctor Steinberg looks the one to beat in the 2026 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
There is a lot to like about his profile. He comes into the race with a perfect 3-from-3 hurdle record, has already shown he can win in Class 1 company, and his 60% strike rate on similar ground suggests conditions should suit. For a novice contest over three miles, it is hard to ignore a horse coming in with that level of winning habit and class.
The fact he is from the Willie Mullins yard only strengthens the case. Mullins knows exactly what type of horse is needed for these Festival novice races, and Doctor Steinberg looks like one of the more polished and reliable profiles in the field.
In what should be a true stamina test, he looks to have the right mix of quality, toughness and progression.
Value Play
Moneygarrow
For those looking beyond the obvious market leaders, Moneygarrow could be the value angle.
The big attraction here is the proven record at the trip. He is 2-from-2 over this distance, and that is a major plus in an Albert Bartlett where plenty of runners are still trying to prove they truly stay. His overall hurdle record is strong, and having Harry Skelton on board adds further confidence.
Dan Skelton’s horses are often primed for the Festival, and Moneygarrow looks exactly the type who could outrun his price if the race turns into the sort of attritional staying test it usually does.
He may not have the same headline profile as some of the bigger Irish contenders, but in a race like this, proven stamina can be the deciding factor.
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The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 2026 looks like another deep and fascinating staying novice contest.
There are several strong profiles in the field, with Doctor Steinberg, No Drama This End, Kripticjim and Moneygarrow all bringing plenty to the table. Willie Mullins looks to have a serious hand once again, while the British challenge also looks solid through horses like No Drama This End and Moneygarrow.
In a race that usually rewards stamina and grit above all else, Doctor Steinberg gets the vote as the most complete profile in the field, while Moneygarrow appeals as a lively outsider with proven stamina credentials.
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Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 2026 Tips, Trends & Runners (Cheltenham Festival)


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