Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Cheltenham 15:20 £150,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 7f 213yds, Class 1 |
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Conman John looks set to find his way back to Cheltenham, with connections encouraged rather than deflated by his narrow defeat in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle trial at the track on December 13.
✅ CONMAN JOHN "likely" to go straight to the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle, says Michael Scudamore to @mollhun.
— Road To Cheltenham (@RoadCheltenham) December 16, 2025
"There is a Grade Two at Haydock, but I would say it’s more likely that we go straight to Cheltenham and get him nice and fresh for that."pic.twitter.com/ir8JNYi3Tk
The five-year-old, trained by Lucinda Russell in partnership with Michael Scudamore, started at 11-10 after an earlier success at Prestbury Park in October and ran with real credit in the three-mile Grade Two, going down by just half a length while conceding 3lb to the two horses who finished in front of him.
While the result did not go his way, the manner of the performance has left his team optimistic, and the option of heading straight to the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival is now firmly on the table.
“It looked a nice race beforehand and perhaps giving away 3lb was just a bit too much on the day, but I think he comes away with plenty of credit,” said Scudamore.
“We’ll see what we do now, we have a couple of options. Obviously Cheltenham in March is the target for most people and that would be the dream.
“There is a Grade Two at Haydock in between, but I would say it’s more likely that we go straight to Cheltenham in March and get him nice and fresh for that.
“He’s done nothing wrong, he travelled well and we were very happy with him.
“He’s going to have to improve again come March, but he’s still a young horse and a stronger gallop will probably suit him too.
“He’s an exciting horse and we’ve hopefully plenty to look forward to with him.”
With stamina clearly his forte and Cheltenham already a proven stage for him, Conman John remains very much one to keep on side as the Festival picture begins to take shape.
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
(Registered As The Spa Novices' Hurdle) (Grade 1)
£150,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 7f 213yds, Class 1
entries
Going:
PREVIOUS RESULTS
2025 Jasmin De Vaux
2024 Stellar Story
2023 Stay Away Fay
2022 The Nice Guy
2021 Vanillier
2020 Monkfish
2019 Minella Indo
2018-WINNER-KILBRICKEN STORM 7-11-05 Owner-A Selway & P Wavish; Trainer-Colin Tizzard; Jockey-Harry Cobden; SP-33/1
2ND-OK Corral 8-11-05 Owner-J P McManus; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-16/1
3RD-Santini 6-11-05 Owner-Richard & Lizzie Kelvin Hughes; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Nico de Boinville; SP-11/4 Fav
20 ran, Time-6m 13.60s; Dist-3, 1½
2017-WINNER-PENHILL 6-11-05 Owner-Tony Bloom; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Paul Townend; SP-16/1
2ND-Monalee 6-11-05 Owner-Barry Maloney; Trainer-Henry de Bromhead IRE; Jockey-David Mullins; SP-8/1
3RD-Wholestone 6-11-05 Owner-Simon Munir & Isaac Souede; Jockey-Daryl Jacob; SP-13/2
15 ran, Time-5m 49.90s; Dist-3 13/8 Fav Death Duty (UR)
2016-WINNER-UNOWHATIMEANHARRY 8-11-05 Owner-Harry Fry Racing Club; Trainer-Harry Fry; Jockey; Noel Fehily; SP-11/1
2ND-Fagan 6-11-05 Owner-Ronnie Bartlett; Trainer-Gordon Elliott IRE; Jockey-Davy Russell; SP-33/1
3RD-Champers On Ice 6-11-05 Owner-Prof Caroline Tisdall & Bryan Drew; Trainer-David Pipe; Jockey-Tom Scudamore; SP-20/1
19 ran, Time-5m 48.10s; Dist-1¼, 1½ 7/2 Fav Shantou Village (PU)
2015-WINNER-MARTELLO TOWER 7-11-07 Owner-Barry Connell; Trainer-Mags Mullins IRE; Jockey-Adrian Heskin; SP-14/1
2ND-Milsean 6-11-07 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Danny Mullins; SP-33/1
3RD-No More Heroes 6-11-07 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer-Gordon Elliott IRE; Jockey-Bryan Cooper; SP-6/1
19 ran, Time-6m 0.30s; Dist-½, 1 5/2 Fav Black Hercules (7th)
2014-WINNER-VERY WOOD 5-11-07 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer-Noel Meade IRE; Jockey-Paul Carberry; SP-33/1
2ND-Deputy Dan 6-11-07 Owner-Tim Syder; Trainer-Oliver Sherwood; Jockey-Leighton Aspell; SP-10/1
3RD-Apache Jack 6-11-07 Owner-Mrs Pat Sloan; Trainer-Dessie Hughes IRE; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-20/1
18 ran, Time-5m 50.70s; Dist-4½, sh 2/1 Fav Briar Hill (Fell)
2013-WINNER-AT FISHERS CROSS 6-11-07 Owner-J P McManus; Trainer- Rebecca Curtis; Jockey-A P McCoy; SP-11/8 Fav
2ND-African Gold 5-11-07 Owner- Ron Bauer; Trainer-Nigel Twiston-Davies; Jockey-Sam Twiston-Davies; SP-9/2
3RD-Inish Island 7-11-07 Owner- Susan, Hazel F& Patrick Flanagan; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-13/2
13 ran, Time-6m 40.10s; Dist-4½, nose
2012-WINNER-BRINDISI BREEZE 6-11-07 Owner-Sandy Seymour; Trainer-Lucinda Russell; Jockey-Campbell Gillies; SP-7/1
2ND-Boston Bob 7-11-07 Owner-Andrea & Graham Wylie; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-6/5 Fav
3RD-Grand Vision 6-11-07 Owner-Terry Warner; Trainer-Colin Tizzard; Jockey-Tom O’Brien; SP-25/1 20 ran, Time-5m 47.20s; Dist-2, 1¼
2011-WINNER-BOBS WORTH 6-11-07 Owner-The Not Afraid Partnership; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-15/8 Fav
2ND-Mossley 5-11-07 Owner-Michael Buckley; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-A P McCoy; SP-12/1
3RD-Court In Motion 6-11-07 Owner-Nick Mustoe; Trainer-Emma Lavelle; Jockey-Jack Doyle; SP-9/1
18 ran, Time-5m 42.20s; Dist-21⁄4, 6
2010-WINNER-BERTIES DREAM 7-11-07 Owner-Half A Keg Syndicate; Trainer-Paul Gilligan IRE; Jockey-Andrew Lynch; SP-33/1
2ND-Najaf 5-110-7 Owner-The Johnson & Stewart Families; Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Timmy Murphy; SP-25/1
3RD-Kennel Hill Owner-Peter & Lisa Hall; Trainer-Keith Goldsworthy; Jockey-Jason Maguire; SP-66/1
19 ran, Time-5m 55.60s; Dist-6, 8 100/30 Fav Tell Massini (PU)
2009-WINNER-WEAPON'S AMNESTY 6-11-07 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer Charles Byrnes IRE; Jockey-Davy Russell; SP-8/1
2ND-Pride Of Dulcote 6-11-07 Owner-Angela Yeoman; Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-3/1 Fav
3RD-The Midnight Club 8-11-07 Owner-C C R Racing Syndicate; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Emmet Mullins; SP-14/1
17 ran, Time-5m 59.90s; Dist-½, 2
2008-WINNER-NENUPHAR COLLONGES 7-11-07 Owner-Top Brass Partnership; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Robert Thornton; SP-9/1
2ND-Liskennett 5-11-00 Owner- Patrick Pierce; Trainer-Charles Byrnes IRE; Jockey-Niall Madden; SP-16/1
3RD-The Tother One 7-11-07 Owner-Graham Roach; Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Sam Thomas; SP-9/2 Jt Fav
18 ran, Time-6m 0.20s; Dist-2¾, ½ 9/2 Jt Fav Carruthers (11th)
2007-WINNER-WICHITA LINEMAN 6-11-07 Owner-J P McManus; Trainer-Jonjo O’Neill; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-11/8 Fav
2ND-Air Force One 5-11-07 Owner-Brian Walsh (Co Kildare); Trainer-Charlie Mann; Jockey-Noel Fehily; SP-25/1
3RD-Itsa Legend 8-11-07 Owner-The We’re A Legend Partnership; Trainer-The We’re A Legend Partnership; SP-100/1
20 ran Time-5m 43.60s; Dist-12, 6
2006-WINNER-BLACK
JACK KETCHUM 7-11-07 Owner-Gay Smith; Trainer-Jonjo
O'Neill; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-Evens Fav
2ND-Powerstation 6-11-07 Owner-Fat Frog Syndicate; Trainer-Charles Byrnes
IRE; Jockey-Davy Russell; SP-9/1
3RD-Travino 7-11-07 Owner-P Kilroy; Trainer-Mags Mullins IRE; Jockey-Barry
Geraghty 6/1
19 ran Time-5m 43.6s; Dist-12,6
2005-WINNER-MOULIN
RICHE 4-11-00 Owner-Elite Racing Club; Trainer-Alan
King; Jockey-Robert Thornton; SP-9/1
2ND-Faasel 4-11-00 Owner-Jim Ennis; Trainer-Nicky Richards; Jockey-Tony
Dobbin; SP-7/1
3RD-Akilak 4-11-00 Owner-Andrea & Graham Wylie; Trainer-Howard Johnson;
Jockey-Graham Lee; SP-7/2 Fav
23 ran. Time-4m 3.60s; Dist-hd, 8
