Ladbrokes News vs Pricewise: The Young Master picked for RSA
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His rise through the chasing ranks has been meteoric and not without controversy, and now The Young Master looks primed to add another string to his bow in the RSA Chase.
Unbeaten over fences (including or not counting his Badger Ales Trophy disqualification either way), he looks a nice bet at 10/1 for the 3m novice chasers’ event at the Cheltenham Festival.
Pricewise’s Tom Segal has gone for a couple of big priced picks in Southfield Theatre and Apache Stronghold, but we are happy to put all our eggs in the basket of Neil Mulholland’s charge.
Starting the campaign off with an authoritative 27l win at Worcester may not have looked the strongest piece of form in the book, but the three races that he has been first past the post in look rock solid.
Firstly his all important course success back in October had subsequent scorers Charingworth and Balbriggan back in second and third, while 59l fourth Buck Mulligan was only beaten a head next time out.
Even though the win was expunged from his record, the ability to come home in front of the likes of Court By Surprise and Welsh National runner-up Benvolio in the style he did in the Badger Ales Trophy at Wincanton has to be noted.
The six-year-old’s most recent win was his best yet, staying on stoutly ahead of Hennessy Gold Cup second Houblon Des Obeaux, with last weekend’s dominant Sandown winner Le Reve back in third.
There are few holes in the form of this bay gelding.
Jumping will come under close inspection in the RSA, and this will surely play to his strengths.
The likes of Kings Palace (4/1) and Coneygree (8/1) have been allowed to dominate small fields in their victories this season, so have yet to be pressured coming to their fences.
However, the son of Echo Of Light has come home in front of a field of a dozen or more twice this season, indicating that the hustle and bustle of the Festival will be no hindrance.
Ground conditions won’t matter, with victories ranging on surfaces from Good to Heavy, and with the quandary of which of the Irish horses will turn up in this race, we are siding with one to get a big victory for one of the smaller stables.
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