'He'll be fine on that quicker ground' - can smart juvenile Bottler'secret defy an 8lb penalty?

Four-year-olds can often find things tricky in their second season over hurdles against older horses and this contest marks one of the final chances for them to land a decent age-restricted prize.

For last season's smart juvenile Bottler'secret, bigger challenges will await but this looks a lovely starting point. Gavin Cromwell has enjoyed plenty of success at this meeting and his runner Bottler'secret, even with an 8lb penalty, has something in hand over these opponents.

Bottler'secret's transition to hurdling has been almost seamless. He bolted up in a Grade 3 juvenile race at Naas in February on his hurdling debut before recording a smooth victory in a Fairyhouse Grade 2 contest and proving among the best of his generation when second to Kargese at Punchestown. That filly danced every dance in the juvenile division for Willie Mullins and Bottler'secret came out best at the weights that day.

There is, however, a slight question mark surrounding Bottler'secret’s suitability to a surface this fast. All three of his hurdles starts came on soft ground or slower and his two Flat successes were on soft and heavy going. If he goes on this terrain and is fit enough on his return, the signs are ominous for the rest.

Givemefive will undoubtedly be ready for the task and can make it interesting with Bottler'secret after a lovely prep run on the Flat at Haydock last month. Although Givemefive failed to justify favouritism, he pulled seven and a half lengths clear of the third and that represented his best run since he finished a close second in the Grade 2 Adonis at Kempton.

Other race-fit rivals to note are hurdles hat-trick-seekers Dodger Long and Hasten Slowly. The profile of the last-named is more compelling than the prices infer as she gets all the allowances, is progressing quickly and represents a trainer in John McConnell whose runners here are always feared.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders

No ground concerns for Bottler'secret

There were not many juvenile hurdlers around better than Bottler'secret last season and he makes his seasonal return in the Masterson Holdings Hurdle as Gavin Cromwell bids to extend his phenomenal record at Cheltenham.

Having secured two wins from three starts on the Flat for Ciaran Murphy, Bottler'secret moved to Cromwell's yard and was thrown into a Grade 3 contest on his hurdles debut at Naas, but made the transition seamlessly before following up in Grade 2 company at Fairyhouse.

He finished off the season with an excellent runner-up effort behind Kargese in the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle at Punchestown with subsequent Galway Hurdle winner Nurburgring back in third. All his six starts have come on yielding or softer but Cromwell is confident he will be able to cope with a quicker surface.

Bottler'secret: finished runner-up behind Grade 1 winner Kargese last time outCredit: Seb Daly (Getty Images)

"It's always hard for those horses coming out of their juvenile season but I do think he's a nice horse," said Cromwell. "He'll be fine on that quicker ground. He was probably lacking a gear or two on the Flat on quicker ground, so that's why all his best form was on a slower surface, but I think he'll be fine on it over hurdles."

Pied Piper was the last Irish-trained horse to take the contest when Gordon Elliott saddled him to victory in 2022. John McConnell also forms part of this year's raiding party as he relies on the hat-trick seeking Hasten Slowly, having landed the race in 2018 with Pearl Of The West.

What they say

Harriet Dickin, trainer of Dodger Long
He's improving all the time. I was surprised and pleased with the way he won at Chepstow. I thought before the race that he would finish in the first four, but had a hard job to win. He's gone up 10lb, but probably deserved that. I think he has every chance at Cheltenham.

Harriet Dickin: runs Dodger Long in the Masterson Holdings HurdleCredit: Steve Davies

Harry Derham, trainer of Givemefive
He's come out of that Haydock prep race really well, although I'd love it if the ground was a little bit slower, but a few of the fancier horses are not taking their chance. Bottler'secret will be very hard to beat but we're going to take our chance.

Gary Moore, joint-trainer of Royal Way
He's in great order, but needed his first run badly last season. He's a nice horse and we think a lot of him. Hopefully he'll run well.

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