The Cheltenham festival is now less than five weeks away and with that in mind we have picked out a second ante-post selection for the Grade One Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle on the final day of the four day meeting.
Having put Absolute Notions up from the same stable up at 20/1 and him being much shorter now, we think that horse could go down the handicap route instead.
With that in mind still hopeful that he will go to the Albert Bartlett instead we have dutched the race and we are also putting up Three Card Brag for Gordon Elliott at 8/1.
A bumper winner last season at Wexford on debut, in October this season he made his debut over hurdles and got off to a superb start by beating the talented Sandor Clegane by close to seven lengths.
Since then he has been tried at 2m and 2m4f and has always looked like he has wanted a step up in trip to three miles, staying on strongly over 2m at Navan in a Grade Three behind Hercule Du Seuil and Imagine and then next time out Naas up at 2m4f he was a head second to the talented Inthepocket in a good Grade Two, that saw Absolute Notions back in third.
In both those runs he got tapped for a bit of pace but stayed on after the last very strongly suggesting going up to three miles would suit him.
Seen once more to date in heavy ground at Fairyhouse over 2m 3 1/2f, he battled and stayed well to get back to winning ways, seeing off Spanish Harlem by 12 lengths.
He is a very talented individual that just needs to be given a chance at a trip and with the Albert Bartlett his most likely option and the race still very wide open, the 8/1 about the horse looks value at this stage.
For whatever reason he does not go to the race plenty of bookmakers are offering NRMB at this price.