Teak-tough Monkfish gets up in Albert Bartlett thriller

After a sluggish start to the Festival, Willie Mullins’ team found stride late on Wednesday, upped the pace with a double on Thursday, and when Monkfish edged out compatriots Latest Exhibition and Fury Road in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, it was a third on the day and a sixth in total for the Closutton maestro.

Burning Victory was fortunate in the Triumph Hurdle, Saint Roi in a different league in the County Hurdle, and to complete the perfect hat-trick, Monkfish was tough as teak in the three-mile novice event.