Albert Bartlett steps in to back handicap hurdle series with €100,000 on offer for final at Punchestown festival

There has been a cash injection to the newly sponsored Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final at next year's Punchestown festival with €100,000 worth of prize-money now up for grabs. 

Albert Bartlett has taken over sponsorship of the handicap hurdle series for the next three years and there will be a dozen qualifiers for the final next April, the first of which will take place at Punchestown's Premiere Weekend on November 23. 

There will be another qualifier at Punchestown in January, while Chepstow, Naas, Huntington, Kelso, Gowran Park, Wincanton, Ayr, Down Royal, Cork and Wetherby will also host one. The first five home will take precedence over handicap ratings in the ballot process for the final, which will be run over 2m4f and was won last season by the Tom Lacey-trained Tune In A Box. 

Launched in October of last year, the initial concept for the series was to provide an opportunity for horses in the competitive 2m4f handicap hurdle category, with ratings of up to 120, to compete for a lucrative prize at the Punchestown festival and, following the success of the inaugural running, Albert Bartlett has increased the number of qualifiers and boosted the final prize fund from €80,000 to €100,000.

Albert Bartlett chairman Ronnie Bartlett said: “We were really impressed with the first running of the concept in 2023. We hope partnering to create the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series will enhance the series further to encourage travel, cohesion and alignment throughout jump racing in the UK and Ireland with the exciting involvement of UK-trained and owned horses competing at Punchestown. 

"The series allows owners and trainers to visit new tracks, cross the Irish sea, meet with new peers, all built around enjoying flagship racedays and competing for meaningful prize-money. Ultimately we hope this will create more really entertaining days for race fans to enjoy and that’s what it is all about.”

Punchestown chief executive Conor O’Neill added: "We are delighted to announce the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series and really look forward to optimising this exciting concept alongside the Albert Bartlett team who share in our vision and objectives for the initiative. 

"Together we aim to create an inclusive prospect for horses at a particular level to compete for a significant prize pot on the big stage, while providing an excellent opportunity to open up the sport even further by encouraging owners and trainers to travel and compete across what is a relatively small jurisdiction. To this end we couldn’t have hoped for a better result of the inaugural running when Herefordshire trainer Tom Lacey won the final with Tune In A Box owned by the Woolhope Hopeful Syndicate."

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