1 – 2 – 3 in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle for Tattersalls Ireland

The final day of the Cheltenham Festival 2022 saw an incredible 1 – 2 – 3 in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle for Tattersalls Ireland graduates.

The final day of the Cheltenham Festival added THE NICE GUY to the growing list of Tattersalls Ireland graduates who landed success on the biggest stage of National Hunt racing. Following in the footsteps of HONEYSUCKLE, ENERGUMENE, CONSTITUTION HILL, COMMANDER OF FLEET and STATTLER, Willie Mullins' charge dominated the final stages of the race, landing success ahead of his fellow rivals and Tattersalls Ireland graduates Minella Cocooner (2nd) and Bardenstown Lad (3rd).

O’Keeffe, who was partnering the first Grade 1 winner of his career, said: "I couldn’t have got my first Grade 1 at a better place. "The Nice Guy is a lovely horse and so relaxed. The further he went the better he travelled and he jumped great throughout. He’s still very inexperienced."

THE NICE GUY, owned by Malcolm C Denmark and bred by Con O’Keeffe, was sold at the 2015 November NH Sale by O'Keeffe's Kilbarry Lodge Stud to Hit The Diff Syndicate for €33,000.

The final race of the Festival went the way of November NH Sale graduate BANBRIDGE when digging deeply, avoiding trouble and storming home up the famous Cheltenham hill to win the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle for Joseph O'Brien, Ronnie Bartlett and Mark McDonagh.            

BANBRIDGE, bred by Dan McSorley, was sold at the 2017 November NH Sale by Springhill Stud to Ian Ferguson for €36,000.    

Tattersalls Ireland will host a suite of National Hunt Store sales over the coming months at Fairyhouse; offering the first Store sale of the year, the May Store Sale will take place on Tuesday 10 May, the flagship Derby Sale taking place on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 June and the July Store Sale taking place on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 July.