The Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle is the longest novice hurdle run at the Festival.
Introduced in 2005 when a fourth day was added to the Cheltenham Festival schedule, it is registered as the Spa Novices' Hurdle.
The race has certainly been a stepping stone for future stars, including Cheltenham Gold Cup winners Bobs Worth and Minello Indo.
Additionally, the Stayers' Hurdle winners in 2018, 2019 & 2020 had all competed in this race the year beforehand.
That includes Penhill, who did the double.
ALBERT BARTLETT HURDLE TRENDS
The Nice Guy & Minella Indo had yet to receive an official handicap mark when winning this race, having not run three times over hurdles.
But 10 of the other 12 Albert Bartlett Hurdle winners since 2010 were rated at least 140, with four of those rated 150+.
It has certainly not been a good race for favourite backers of late, with At Fishers Cross the last to oblige back in 2013.
Beaten favourites in that period include Briar Hill (2/1), Black Hercules (5/2), Death Duty (13/8) and Santini (11/4), Hillcrest (9/4) and last year Corbetts Cross (9/4).
Meanwhile, there have been three 33/1 winners plus the aforementioned Minella Indo at a whopping 50/1, all since 2010.
ALBERT BARTLETT HURDLE 2025 ODDS
LAST 5 WINNERS’ DATA
PREVIOUS WINNERS
Stellar Story 2024
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— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) September 19, 2024
Stay Away Fay 2023
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The Nice Guy 2022
The 2021 winner was Vanillier, ridden by Mark Walsh for trainer Gavin Cromwell:
Monkfish won a thrilling renewal 'by a nostril' in 2020 for owner Rich Ricci.
Four horses fought it out on the run-in, with the winner rallying having been overtaken:
In 2019 Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win a Grade 1 hurdle at the Festival aboard Minello Indo.
Despite being a maiden, trainer Henry de Bromhead was shocked at the odds of his future Gold Cup star:
Kilbricken Storm was another big-priced winner at 33/1 in 2018 and a first Festival success for young jockey Harry Cobden.
Purchased for just £22,000 by trainer Colin Tizzard the year before, he collected a first prize of £77,600:
Penhill came from off way the pace in 2017, in the blue and white colours of his owner Tony Bloom - the chairman of Brighton FC.
A successful recruit from the flat for Willie Mullins, he would go on to win the Stayers' Hurdle a year later.
And it was a quick-fire double for jockey Paul Townend, having won the previous race on the card, with Bloom joking:
Unowhatimeanharry vindicated trainer Harry Fry's decision to go for Grade 1 glory when landing a hard-fought victory in 2016, in the colours of his members racing club.
Originally targeted at the Pertemps Final, four successive wins saw him rise so much in the handicap that Fry opted to switch:
Martello Tower 2015
Very Wood 2014
At Fishers Cross 2013
Brindisi Breeze 2012
Bobs Worth 2011
Berties Dream 2010