Gidleigh Park has Fry up for Albert Bartlett bid

‘He’s a young horse that we’re very excited’.

Harry Fry’s unbeaten Gidleigh Park leads the British challenge in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old has done nothing wrong in four starts so far, winning a bumper before taking two hurdle contests at a canter late last year.

He stepped up to Grade Two level at Cheltenham in January and although the race was slowly run with a sprint finish, he did what was required and put his head down to prevail by half a length from Lucky Place.

A step up in trip and grade now beckons at Cheltenham, where the strapping son of Walk In The Park looks to take the next step in his promising career.

“We’ve been delighted with everything he’s done so far, hopefully he can continue that progression,” said Fry.

Gidleigh Park and jockey Jonathan Burke
Gidleigh Park and jockey Jonathan Burke (Nigel French/PA)

“He’ll certainly need to to take on the Irish horses, but I think the step up in trip should be a positive and he showed a liking to the track when winning on Trials day

“The runner-up there was fourth in the Coral Cup yesterday, our horse won the battle and came out the right side of it and tomorrow he won’t have it all his own way either.

“He’s a young horse that we’re very excited about and hopefully he can give us a good day.”

Willie Mullins has no less than five runners, with his contingent headed by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede’s Readin Tommy Wrong.

He is yet to be defeated under rules and was the winner of the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle last time out.

Readin Tommy Wrong at Willie Mullins' stable
Readin Tommy Wrong at Willie Mullins’ stable (Niall Carson/PA)

Dancing City also arrives in good form having won the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle on his last outing, with High Class Hero another contender yet to be outdone under rules.

Mullins said: “Readin Tommy Wrong has stamina and class, and when High Class Hero won his race in the autumn, I said to (assistant trainer) David Casey I’ll pick one race in the spring as a prep for Cheltenham, I don’t want him having a hard race at the Dublin Racing Festival and he found the race at Thurles and he came through it lovely.

“Dancing City had actually been disappointing me and then everything came right in Leopardstown, it was obviously a step up in trip and maybe nicer ground were a big help to him. I think he’ll go to the Albert Bartlett with a chance.”

Danny Mullins will take the ride on Dancing City for his uncle, and he said of the horse: “It was a surprise that he won in Leopardstown.

“He was quite disappointing on his first run of the season and then found the necessary improvement to go and win his maiden hurdle in Navan when I got to ride him.

Dancing City winning the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle
Dancing City winning the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (Damien Eagers/PA)

“We knew he’d have to find as much, if not more, again to go and win a Grade One, which he did, and it’s probably another step up the ladder to go and win an Albert Bartlett, but he looks in great nick at home and has the potential to do that, so you couldn’t write him off.”

Paul Nicholls runs Captain Teague, second in the Trustatrader Novices’ Hurdle at Grade Two level in November and then the winner of the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.

“He’s a classy horse who showed a great attitude to see off three challengers in attritional ground in the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury at the end of December,” he told Betfair.

“He’s a strong stayer, conditions are right for him and he worked really well on an away day at Kempton earlier this month. He is as fresh as fresh could be and has a lovely chance. “

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