Bottler'secret

Another horse to take out of the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle at Navan on Saturday is Bottler'secret He faded to finish 11th in the end, he was well beaten, over 18 lengths behind the winner, but he raced prominently and he travelled well for much of the race. Still in the front rank and travelling well on the approach to the second last flight, he came under a ride between the last two flights, and he made a tired mistake at the final flight when beaten.

Gavin Cromwell's horse was a very good juvenile hurdler last season among a crop of talented juvenile hurdlers Winner of the Grade 2 juvenile hurdle at the Fairyhouse Easter meeting, he finished second behind Triumph Hurdle runner-up Kargese in the Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, when he had subsequent Galway Hurdle winner Nurburgring just behind him in third He hasn't managed to reach those levels yet this season, and that is disappointing on the face of it, but it may be that he just hasn't had his optimal conditions yet The ground was probably faster than ideal for him in his first three runs, and it may be that he didn't stay the two-and-a-half-mile trip at Navan on Saturday It can be an expensive game, making excuses for beaten horses, but he was such a talented juvenile last season that it might be worthwhile keeping him on side, and he might be under-rated when he does get back on soft ground over the minimum trip.
Navan, 18^th January 2025