*Paddy Power is now Non Runner Money Back for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. That means that if your selection does not line up in the race you back it in for any reason – you will now get your stake back. TC’s apply. 

*Paddy also has the more traditional ante-post market where you will lose your stake if your selection doesn’t run in the race for whatever reason. 

Paddy Power Media’s ‘From The Horse’s Mouth’ podcast ‘Cheltenham Countdown’ is back as host Tom Nugent picks the brains of the Cheltenham Festival’s winning-most jockey turned TV pundit Ruby Walsh and well-known journalist and broadcaster Rory Delargy for their best Cheltenham betting tips.

In the fifth episode of this year’s series, the gang have looked at the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle ahead of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.

RUBY WALSH

The Big Westerner won the Grade 2 novice hurdle at Limerick over Christmas. She beat Mozzies Sister, who ran respectably at the Dublin Racing Festival so I wouldn’t knock her form.

She beat Argento Boy in a maiden hurdle at Punchestown – he disappointed the next time at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting but  subsequently won at Punchestown – so I’ve put a line through his December run.

The Big Westener can only improve – she’s huge, she’s raw. I can see why she is as short in the market as she is. Trainer Henry de Bromhead won the Albert Bartlett with Minella Indo who had as little, if not less, experience when winning here in 2019. He’d been beaten by Allaho at Clonmel before the Festival.

So Henry knows how to do it.

Of the others, Yellow Car jumped really poorly at Cheltenham when third to Jet Blue but he improved after that to win the Grade 2 River Don Novices Hurdle over 3m at Doncaster next time.

One runner that I took out of the Challow Hurdle at Newbury was Wendigo. He was never on the bridle, but in a slowly-run race, came home really well. He’s a contender here as well at a price and posted an easy win over 3m at Wetherby on Wednesday.

Perfect race for Champion Bumper winner

The one I like though is Jasmin De Vaux. I can’t guarantee he’s going to run in the Albert Bartlett but it will be the easiest race to ride him in.

There’s three hurdles early in the back straight that you can just pop over. At the top of the hill you have the third last and you’d need to jump it pretty well before the long run to the second last. There’s loads of time between the hurdles where you could slow Jasmin De Vaux down, to just get him from A to B. Don’t forget, he had the class to win the Cheltenham Bumper last year.

I like him as a non runner no bet option.

*Paddy Power is now Non Runner Money Back for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. That means that if your selection does not line up in the race you back it in for any reason – you will now get your stake back. TC’s apply. 

*Paddy also has the more traditional ante-post market where you will lose your stake if your selection doesn’t run in the race for whatever reason. 

Read More

• Cheltenham Supreme Novices’ Hurdle tips: Romeo Coolio looks a solid each-way play
• Cheltenham Gold Cup tips: Galopin Des Champs is impossible to oppose but this 8/1 shot may give him a fright on quick ground
• Cheltenham Triumph Hurdle tips: Rory Delargy’s 9/4 non runner money back play for the ‘perfect juvenile hurdler’
• When is the Cheltenham Festival 2025? Dates for this year’s mega meeting
• Cheltenham Festival race times and schedule for 2025 meeting
• Pertemps Final qualification races and eligible horses for Cheltenham Festival 2025

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