Rhys Williams' Racing Tips: 7 Selections For Easter Monday
Horse racing expert Rhys Williams is sharing his best selections for today's racing.
Rhys has been a racing analyst for over 10 years, working for At The Races and most recently as a tipster for Betfair where his tipping column had a 31% ROI over four and a half years.
He often focuses away from the front end of the market, finding angles that aren't evident to most.
Thanks to his 50/1 winner at the Cheltenham Festival (Apolon De Charnie) and recent 5/1 winners, Rhys' tips have returned 107.93 points from 90 points staked, meaning his profit and loss record stands at 17.93pts overall.
Here are Rhys' tips for Easter Monday, using the most up-to-date odds from the best horse racing betting sites.
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14:15 Fakenham: Vicki Vale - 0.5pt Win @ 40/1
Vicki Vale returns from a long absence in the opening handicap hurdle at Fakenham, but I think the market is overlooking her chance of making a successful return to action.
She’s only had two starts for these connections and showed some promise on the second of those at Ludlow, where she travelled strongly into the lead turning into the home straight before fading late on to finish fourth.
There is a positive jockey switch today with Lewis Stones taking over in the saddle and I think this track will suit Vicki Vale’s strong travelling nature.
It may be that she is just a weak finisher or that she will need the run after a break, but she looks overpriced in a race of this quality and any 16/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 1: 14:15 Fakenham - Vicki Vale - 0.5pt Win
15:35 Cork: Hunt Away - 1pt Win @ 7/1
The progressive Hearts And Spades heads the market on his hunter chase debut and rightfully so given the ability he’s shown in points, but it’s another horse making their first start in this sphere who appeals at the prices.
Hunt Away showed plenty of ability on this card last season when finishing fifth in a strong bumper and he’s continued to show ability back pointing since.
He ran well in a strong Open on his seasonal debut, when finishing third behind Carnfunnock before being a bit disappointing on his next two starts - although the ground was very testing when third behind Hunters Yarn.
Hunt Away bounced back last time on his return to a right-handed track, when finishing second to Asian Master and ahead of Cold Old Fire who has run well in hunter chases this season.
There is the unknown over how Hunt Away will take to jumping rules fences, but I think going this way around will help his cause and I think the drying ground is in his favour too.
The ability he’s shown in points suggests he can be more of a danger to the favourite than the market suggests and any 5/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 2: 15:35 Cork - Hunt Away - 1pt Win
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16:45 Cork: Flamm De Kerbarh - 1pt Each-Way @ 20/1
Flamm De Kerbarh didn’t win in two starts in points this season, but he showed promise on both occasions and looked the type who could be better suited to this sort of test.
On his debut, he travelled strongly for a long way and moved into a close second turning the final bend but he was weakening when coming down at two out.
Last time at Belclare, he eased into a share of the lead jumping three out and was still there two out, but he couldn’t quite see out the trip and finished third.
The way that he travelled through those races suggests Flamm De Kerbarh will be suited by the bumper of a bumper and I’m not sure this is a vintage renewal of this race.
Any 8/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 3: 16:45 Cork - Flamm De Kerbarh - 1pt Each-Way
16:55 Plumpton: Unjeu Royal - 1pt Win @ 7/2
Unjeu Royal makes his handicap debut this afternoon and I think he can show his opening mark of 108 is on the lenient side if his jumping sharpens up.
His jumping wasn’t too slick on hurdling debut at Chepstow, but he will still travelling well in contention when badly hampered at three out and his chance was gone after that.
I thought he ran well at Huntingdon next time behind Glance At Midnight considering he often jumped out to the left.
The way that he finished off the race at Lingfield last time was a bit concerning, but I think that ground was softer than ideal for him and the extended run between the last two hurdles didn’t help his cause either.
The better ground today is a positive for his chance as is the left-handed track.
There is a worry that his jumping could let him down again, but I think he has a strong chance and any 5/2 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 4: 16:55 Plumpton - Unjeu Royal - 1pt Win
17:00 Fairyhouse: Rushmount - 0.5pt Win @ 80/1
Rushmount was well beaten in the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival, but he was one of those horses caught up in the ferry delays and his trainer seemed to think that impacted his performance.
He’s back on home soil today and I think this stamina test could bring out the best in him.
He looked in need of a test of stamina as a hurdler and he was in some deep company in beginners chases against the likes of Western Fold, Oscars Brother and Romeo Coolio.
Rushmount made an opening mark of 130 look very generous when bolting up at Thurles, and I expect that if he was coming straight here from that win then he would be a fair bit shorter in the market.
Considering there’s an obvious reason for the poor run at Cheltenham, I think the market has overreacted to that run.
Any 33/1 or bigger appeals.
17:00 Fairyhouse: Shanbally Kid - 0.5pt Win @ 40/1
It may turn out that Shanbally Kid’s win at the Punchestown Festival last season was solely down to Danny Mullins’ brilliance in keeping him very wide throughout.
However, at a big price I’m happy to take a chance that the return to a thorough test of stamina can bring better from him than he’s shown so far this season.
He didn’t run too badly on seasonal debut at Leopardstown when plugging on into 11th before struggling in the Thyestes.
With cheekpieces on, he showed more last time at Naas in the Leinster National despite jumping poorly.
His jumping is a concern as that isn’t the first time he’s done that, but I think the return to this longer trip will help his cause.
Any 33/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 6: 17:00 Fairyhouse - Shanbally Kid - 0.5pt Win
18:10 Fairyhouse: Big Boy Dan - 0.5pt Win @ 50/1
The Old Head is the obvious point winner making their rules debut to focus on in the closing bumper at Fairyhouse, but there’s one at a big price whose form doesn’t appear on the racecard who appeals to me.
The horse formerly known as The Top G was first passed the post on his debut at Tallow back in February 2024 when putting up a good performance.
He travelled strongly into the lead on the run to four out and along with Allstitched up they pulled well clear of the field late on.
Their battled continued all the way to the line and The Top G got the best of a slow motion finish.
Although Allstitched Up has ended up being a bit disappointing under rules, Chasingouttheblues is now rated 126 over fences and Corbally Cross had previously finished third behind Country Park and Maximum Offers on debut.
The Top G was disqualified from that race due to a positive test for triamcinolone acetonide and hasn’t been seen since.
He has now been named Big Boy Dan and while there’s an obvious concern that he may not be the quality of horse he was back in February 2024, I think it’s notable that they have chosen to bring him back in a race of this quality given the various other options they could have taken.
Any 25/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 7: 18:10 Fairyhouse - Big Boy Dan - 0.5pt Win
Odds correct at time of publishing!
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