Stephen Harris’ Cheltenham Festival Day 4 Tips

The Albert Bartlett has often thrown up a shock result to the delight of the bookmakers over the years, and Jonjo O’Neill’s promising novice ticks a lot of boxes to be another big-priced winner of this valuable Grade 1 prize.

He has had excuses in warm company since winning in style at Carlisle in November and gathered experience of these undulations when an eye-catching fourth behind the high class Gidleigh Park in Grade 2 company here in January (arguably doing too much mid-race in a muddling contest and fading up the hill).

Gordon Elliott has been targeting this meeting with his unexposed handicapper after he caught the eye under a quiet ride when finishing second at Navan in January. His impressive win in the mud at Fairyhouse in November marks him down as extremely well treated for this competitive contest, and there should be plenty more improvement in the tank after just four career starts over hurdles.

He comes here with all the yards horses running really well this week and should go close with any luck in running under a patient ride from rear from the excellent Jordan Gainsford.

The Hunter chase at the festival looks ripe for a new pretender to emerge, with plenty of the older guard at the head of the market having a very vulnerable look. This unexposed 7-y-o created a big impression when winning at Wincanton in February, and showed deep ground held no terrors with a cracking third at Haydock last time out.

He has only run five times under Rules, should relish the demands of this race in a big field, and he looks decent value.