Jake Price has picked out a horse he believes is an incorrect price for the Masterson Holdings Hurdle.
15:30 Cheltenham (Saturday)See All Odds
15:30 Cheltenham - Masterson Holdings Hurdle (Class 2) - 2m½f
The 4yo Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday is always an event that gets targeted due to its unique conditions, but the market looks to have got the price wrong about INDIAN RIVER for Adrian Paul Keatley.
This youngster won three times as a Juvenile last season, with a hat-trick recorded at Catterick, Wetherby and Sedgefield between the months of November and January. He was seen as good enough to represent the yard in the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival too, where he ran a grand race in 10th despite being an unfancied 50/1 shot on the day.
He saved his best performance for the Grade 1 Anniversary Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree in April however, as on this occasion he travelled really strongly before finishing behind two smart Fillies in Mange Tout (138) and Selma Ds Vary (140), who were both in receipt of the 7lbs allowance. Having the likes of Maestro Conti and Winston Junior behind sets him out as a fair sort though, and owing to that performance an 8lbs rise in the weights has limited where connections could target him this season.
The plan then was pretty simple; he would get one run in a Handicap Hurdle during the month of September, then he would come here to Cheltenham for this 4yo Hurdle without any penalties to carry. That is exactly what happened last month where he ran at Market Rasen in preparation for this race, and if you watch that race back then you will notice he travelled really nicely before fading for fitness inside the closing stages. The market seems to have overreacted for that defeat however, and it means we can now get a nice price about him bouncing back to form in the race he has been targeted at.
This Mastersons Hurdle is very winnable too; Lord Byron very much disappointed at Chepstow just 15 days ago, The Mighty Celt was tried over 2m4f in the Silver Trophy but now drops back on trip, whilst Scotts Legacy looks likely to turn up in the Oddschecker Novices' Hurdle on Friday rather than this. One Horse Town is interesting for Harry Derham having had a spin on the Flat in preparation, but he will have to carry an 8lbs penalty for his Grade 2 success last season.
Overall then INDIAN RIVER is simply the wrong price here, and he should be backed accordingly to continue the early season success of Adrian Paul Keatley and Brian Hughes.
