Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Registered As The Spa Novices' Hurdle) (Grade 1) 3m
- (4yo+, 3m, Class 1, 20 runners)
- Winner £56,950 2nd £21,370 3rd £10,700 4th £5,330 5th £2,680 6th £1,340
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
Weighed In:
- Winning time: 5m 47.10s
- Off time: 14:40:17
Full Result
| Pos | Dist | Horse | Trainer | Age | Weight | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 5 Brindisi Breeze (IRE) | Miss Lucinda V Russell | 6 | 11-7 | C I Gillies | 7/1 | |
| SP 7/1 Tracked leader, led 9th, ridden 3 lengths clear off bend before last, stayed on well opened 17/2 £10000-£1000 | |||||||
| 2nd | 2 | 4 Boston Bob (IRE) | W P Mullins | 7 | 11-7 | R Walsh | 6/5f |
| SP 6/5f Held up, headway approaching 2 out, ridden to chase winner before last, stayed on under pressure, no impression last 50 yards £11000-£8000(x3) £5500-£4000 £12500-£10000(x2) £1250-£1000(x4) £20000-£16000 £10000-£8000(x3) £5000-£4000(x11) | |||||||
| 3rd | 1¼ | 9 Grand Vision (IRE) | C L Tizzard | 6 | 11-7 | T J O'Brien | 25/1 |
| SP 25/1 Tracked leaders, not fluent 8th, 3rd 2 out, soon ridden, unable to quicken after last, stayed on same pace final 75 yards | |||||||
| 4th | 6 | 12 Lovcen (GER) | A King | 7 | 11-7 | R Thornton | 12/1 |
| SP 12/1 Mid-division, headway on inside after 3 out, not able to go with leaders after next, stayed on approaching last to take 4th flat, no impression opened 16/1 | |||||||
| 5th | ½ | 13 Meister Eckhart (IRE) | Miss R Curtis | 6 | 11-7 | A P McCoy | 22/1 |
| SP 22/1 Prominent, went 2nd soon after 3 out, every chance next, soon ridden, no extra approaching last opened 33/1 touched 20/1 | |||||||
| 6th | 8 | 19 The Druids Nephew (IRE) | Andrew Turnell | 5 | 11-7 | Nick Scholfield | 100/1 |
| SP 100/1 Held up in rear, hit 8th, headway approaching 2 out, no further progess well before last and soon well held by leaders | |||||||
| 7th | 1¾ | 14 Mount Benbulben (IRE) | G Elliott | 7 | 11-7 | P Carberry | 11/1 |
| SP 11/1 Mid-division, took keen hold, not fluent 3rd, headway 8th, weakened after 2 out opened 9/1 | |||||||
| 8th | 7 | 15 Rocky Creek (IRE) | P F Nicholls | 6 | 11-7 | D A Jacob | 14/1 |
| SP 14/1 Soon towards rear, headway 9th, no impression after 3 out, hampered just after next, soon weakened opened 12/1 | |||||||
| 9th | ½ | 8 Fox Appeal (IRE) | Miss E C Lavelle | 5 | 11-7 | N Fehily | 18/1 |
| SP 18/1 Held up in rear, mistake 3 out, headway on inside after 2 out, soon no impression and weakened approaching last opened 20/1 touched 16/1 | |||||||
| 10th | ¾ | 20 Tour Des Champs (FR) | N A Twiston-Davies | 5 | 11-7 | S Twiston-Davies | 150/1 |
| SP 150/1 Held up in rear, not fluent 6th, some headway when bumped just after 2 out, no further progress and soon weakened | |||||||
| 11th | 17 | 17 Sivola De Sivola (FR) | T R George | 6 | 11-7 | P J Brennan | 16/1 |
| SP 16/1 Mid-division, pushed along from after 4th, no progress, weakened 3 out opened 18/1 | |||||||
| 12th | 1¾ | 2 Benheir (IRE) | Miss R Curtis | 6 | 11-7 | Aidan Coleman | 100/1 |
| SP 100/1 Mid-division, hit 3 out, weakened approaching next opened 66/1 | |||||||
| 13th | 19 | 6 Dawn Commander (GER) | C E Longsdon | 5 | 11-7 | R Johnson | 66/1 |
| SP 66/1 Tracked leaders, not fluent 4th, pushed along after 9th, weakened after 3 out, mistake 2 out, tailed off opened 100/1 | |||||||
| 14th | 5 | 3 Big Occasion (IRE) | D Pipe | 5 | 11-7 b | T Scudamore | 50/1 |
| SP 50/1 Led, headed 9th, lost place approaching 2 out, soon bumped and weakened, tailed off | |||||||
| 15th | ¾ | 16 Sea Of Thunder (IRE) | C Byrnes | 7 | 11-7 | D N Russell | 9/1 |
| SP 9/1 Tracked leaders, 6th and going ok after 3 out, ridden next, soon weakened, tailed off opened 10/1 | |||||||
| 16th | 6 | 7 Fill The Power (IRE) | Mrs S J Smith | 6 | 11-7 | S Byrne | 125/1 |
| SP 125/1 Tracked leaders, pushed along and lost place approaching 7th, well beaten 3 out, tailed off opened 100/1 | |||||||
| 17th | 4½ | 10 Hard To Swallow (IRE) | M Keighley | 6 | 11-7 | A P Cawley | 33/1 |
| SP 33/1 Mid-division, headway apoproaching 8th, weakened after 3 out, tailed off | |||||||
| PU | 1 American Spin | L A Dace | 8 | 11-7 | T J Murphy | 100/1 | |
| SP 100/1 Mid-division on outside, lost place before 7th, weakened from next, tailed off when pulled up before last | |||||||
| PU | 11 Ipsos Du Berlais (FR) | N Meade | 6 | 11-7 | D J Condon | 20/1 | |
| SP 20/1 Mid-division, pushed along and struggling to hold place when hampered on bend after 6th, soon in rear, tailed off 3 out, pulled up before last opened 33/1 | |||||||
| PU | 18 The Bosses Cousin (IRE) | W P Mullins | 7 | 11-7 | P Townend | 66/1 | |
| SP 66/1 In rear, pecked 8th, well beaten 3 out, pulled up before last | |||||||
Betting Breakdown
Tote Win £8.70 Tote Place £2.60 £1.40 £7.10 Straight Forecast £15.18 Exacta £17.20 Trifecta £306.70 Swingers 1&2 £3.60, 2&3 £16.80, 1&3 £33.70
Jackpot £76,027.09 carried forward to Uttoxeter, 17th Mar
Placepot £627.40, Pool: £1016468.06, 1182.5 winning tickets
Quadpot £12.80, Pool: £49090.56, 2832.38 winning tickets
Analysis
Very few got into this truth be told as BRINDISI BREEZE led the field a merry dance from the start and found plenty for pressure in the closing stages. The winner has been picking up prizes in the north on testing ground throughout the winter but produced a career-best effort on this quicker going as his slick hurdling had his rivals on the stretch from the top of the hill. He was clear two and it was just a question of how much he would find under pressure up the hill - the answer was plenty and another good leap at the last kept Boston Bob at bay. Lucinda Russell has done a tremendous job with him and has a fantastic novice chase campaign to look forward to next season if stumps are drawn now. The runner-up was one of the strongest favourites of the week and although he looked sure to be suited by this step up to three miles, took an eon to get going. He was nudged along after four out at the back of the pack before Ruby Walsh had to get really serious at the next hurdle. There was a response as the field came down the hill but he still had a deal of ground to make up on the leader turning in. For a moment or two he looked like he might just get on terms but he was not as slick as the winner at the last and could not make up the ground despite a gallant attempt. He will be a force back on soft ground next winter for certain over staying trips. Grand Vision kept on to fill the frame having been prominent from an early stage while Lovcen made ground from the rear under pressure but never at any stage threatened to get into the contest. Meister Eckhart was put in his place again by the winner and was spent force in the home straight but The Druids Nephew ran a pleasing race for the future, all be it being well beaten by the principals. Mount Benbulben had been well touted coming over from Ireland and he had no more to give after two out, where Benheir and Rocky Creek collided in midair as they already started to tread water. Fox Appeal could never land a blow while Sivola De Sivola was unlucky to miss out on getting into the Pertemps Final, where he would have fared better against handicappers.