Cheltenham antepost: Jet Blue the big Albert Bartlett threat for France at 25-1

The Grade 2 “Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle” staged at Cheltenham on 14 December is an obvious stepping stone for trainers considering the Grade 1 race of the same name held on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival in March. Run over the same course and distance as the major staying prize for novice staying hurdlers at the Festival (3 miles), the December event gives trainers and owners an idea of their horse’s aptitude for such an endurance test at the highest level.

This year’s event didn’t look strong on paper. The field was small and the Irish were unrepresented, as were the British powerhouse stables. There was a heavy favourite (Skyjack Hijack) who had run up a sequence of six novice hurdle wins dating back to late August. The Tizzard stable had a promising-looking type in The Westerner. And France had sent over a dark horse called Jet Blue, who went off as 9/2 co-second favourite. But all in all, unless Skyjack were to win handsomely yet again, the race seemed unlikely to rattle the antepost market for Cheltenham in March.

Nor did it. But it really should have done, because David Cottin’s Jet Blue proved to be quite something. Settling at the rear of the field for the entire first circuit, jockey James Reveley gradually brought his mount through into contention, and when asked for his effort off the final bend the French gelding’s response was impressive. He quickly put daylight between himself and his rivals, and despite making a hash of the last he easily held off The Westerner (who now has designs on a return to Cheltenham in March himself) to win by more than six lengths.

But visual impressions are only ever so convincing, particularly against a field that will bear little comparison to the one Jet Blue will face in the spring. What was impressive here was the time compared to the other hurdle races on the card. The Racing Post awarded David Cottin’s charge a Topspeed mark of 128, well in excess of anything achieved in previous races by the top ten finishers at this year’s Albert Bartlett in March, for example. On official ratings too, Jet Blue achieved as much as any of those ten horses had prior to arriving at Cheltenham – with the notable exception of Dancing City, so impressive at the Dublin Racing Festival in February.

The icing on the cake is Jet Blue’s upside potential. This horse had rather lost his way under Alain Couetil following an impressive bumper win early in his career, and while his form improved under Hugo Merienne, the move to Cottin looks likely to facilitate another step forward, not least because the Cheltenham race was his first start for that trainer. Furthermore, Jet Blue had never raced over the type of obstacle he encountered at Cheltenham and was far from fluent in his jumping. Reveley is convinced he will be a better proposition on his return to the track in 11 weeks’ time.

As a final factor, Jet Blue is one of the very few horses we can be relatively certain – bar the omnipresent threat of injury or other force majeure – will actually turn up for this race at Prestbury Park on the second Friday in March. Irish threats have question marks: The Yellow Clay, a previous favourite for the Albert Bartlett in March, only scrambled home in his most recent race at Navan (unimpressive on the clock), having looked like a good ‘un on his previous start. Jalon d’Oudaries hasn’t been seen since coming third in the Festival Bumper over an extended two miles. Jasmin de Vaux, who won that race, embarked on his hurdle debut over the same trip of two miles in early December, the third time in a row he has raced over the minimum trip. Irish mare The Big Westerner, who currently holds favouritism at 12/1, beat a questionable field at Navan on Boxing Day in a time that was almost a minute off standard. Of the British threats, Potter’s Charm would be a threat but is reportedly heading to the Turners, while Regent’s Stroll has yet to race over two miles.  For sure, threats will emerge over the remainder of the festive period, in January and beyond. But at the time of writing they are difficult to identify.

In summary, when Jet Blue lines up for the Albert Bartlett in March – and he goes straight there according to connections, so there is no disappointment threat in the interim – he will bring high-class staying hurdles form, an unbeaten record under his highly respected French trainer, and a speed figure that will likely put him right in the mix. The current market price of 25-1 (offered by just one bookmaker) looks a badly misjudged reflection of his chances of running a massive race. Will that be good enough to win on the day?  In the absence of field clarity, The AntePoster has no idea and nor does anyone else.  But he won’t be 25/1 to prove himself the leading staying hurdler of the novice brigade.

Recommendation: Back Jet Blue @25/1 with Bet365 to win the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on 14 March. Each-way a possible play, but more efficient to double the win stake and lay off on the exchanges in the run-up to the race.