Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

CARLISLE novice hurdles over two miles and a furlong in February don’t tend to be rich soil for finding Cheltenham Festival winners, but 20/1 shot Johnny’s Jury used the Cumbrian track as the perfect platform to land a boilover edition of the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

There had been no British-trained winner of a Grade 1 at the meeting since Old Park Star won the opening Supreme, and this result meant that the home team had now captured three of the four novice hurdles at the meeting (White Noise in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle their other novice winner).

This was a race of changing fortunes late on, though the die was cast early for supporters of 9/4 favourite Doctor Steinberg, who pulled way too hard to give himself a chance of staying the extra distance compared to his Dublin Racing Festival success. It continued a theme of no DRF winner from the 2026 meeting (run on much more testing ground than usual) winning at the Cheltenham Festival.

It looked as though Gavin Cromwell’s The Passing Wife might be the one to capitalise on the market leader’s keenness, and he travelled into the race powerfully under Keith Donoghue. He traded lower than 8/11, having been sent off an 11/1 shot, but was worn down late on in third.

Likewise, Henry de Bromhead’s 28/1 shot Fruit De Mer ran a belting race to be second and went as low as 4/6 in the closing stages before Gavin Sheehan and Jamie Snowden’s longshot powered through on the stand’s side late on.

Carrying the colours of the Blazing Blues Rc Hurlers On The Ditch, he emerged on top by a length and a half in the Cheltenham rain.

“We never planned to be at the back, but it was a bit of a mess at the start once again,” said Snowden.

“He’s travelled through the race and jumped great and there’s no better man than Gavin. We’ve gone through a lot of things over the last few years and it’s wonderful to have another Grade 1 winner and certainly at Cheltenham it’s amazing. He’s a very nice horse, he came from Nicky [Henderson], who highly recommended him and he’s done nothing but improve over the course of the last year.

“It was a massive step up to three miles, but he’s a half-brother to Appreciate It so we thought his stamina was not in question and thankfully it worked out.”

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Fruit De Mer

“I’m really happy, he travelled really well and did everything right, just sadly didn’t win. He’s a horse with a real bright future and I’m delighted. He’s a staying chaser and he’s already schooling over a fence in the indoor school and has been electric over that. Touch wood, we’ll be dreaming.”

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of The Passing Wife (third)

“You can’t say he didn’t stay, he did stay, but probably one has just outstayed him on this track on the day. I’m sure he’ll be a horse for going over fences in time.”