Cappa Bleu: as short as 16-1 for Friday's Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

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Cappa Bleu on the move in Albert Bartlett market

THERE were plenty of people who reckoned Cappa Bleu would be running this Friday at Cheltenham when he won the 2009 Foxhunter at the festival - but few would have earmarked the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle for him.

However, defeat on his first appearance for Evan Williams on his seasonal debut at Aintree, and a fall in the Hennessy Gold Cup behind Denman, has meant that, rather than a Totesport Gold Cup programme, Cappa Bleu's sights have been lowered.

That's in the literal sense, for hurdles are his game for the time being, and on Tuesday he was a notable market mover for the Albert Bartlett.

Paddy Power went 16-1 (from 25), while Victor Chandler quoted 20-1 (from 33).

In the Byrne Group Plate on Thursday, Song Of Songs wrestled outright favouritism away from Watch My Back and Sunnyhillboy with VC, who cut Song Of Songs a point to 7-1.

In the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle on Friday, JP McManus's Bellvano was trimmed to 10-1 (from 12) by VC and Paddy Power.

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