Rhys Williams' Racing Tips: 2 Selections For Friday
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.
Rhys' tips have returned 149.93 points from 132.50 points staked, meaning his profit and loss record stands at +17.43pts overall.
Here are Rhys' tips for today, using the most up-to-date odds from the best horse racing betting sites.
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Punchestown 15:40: Heartbreak Weather 0.5pts Each-Way 7/1
The big race of the Punchestown Festival opens the card on Friday and Hearts And Spades rightly heads the market, but I think a horse having his first start in a hunter chase could be more of a danger than the market suggests.
Heartbreak Weather showed ability when finishing fourth behind a smart pair in Boultydoolin and Kildare d'Irlande on his last start as a five-year-old, and he's continued to show promise this season.
He ran well on his first start of the year when narrowly beaten by a stablemate of the favourite, Fountain House, at the point course here.
Heartbreak Weather came down next time but got off the mark on his latest start, winning with far more in hand than the margin suggests, at Monksgrange.
The way that he's travelled through those races suggests he shouldn't have an issue with the drop back in trip for his hunter chase debut, and he looks to have the quality to be competitive in a race of this nature.
There is a slight doubt over whether he would prefer softer ground and he now faces slightly bigger fences, but I think he's got more to offer and any 6/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 1: Punchestown 15:40: Heartbreak Weather - 0.5pts Each-Way
Ascot 16:20: Emperor Spirit 0.5pt Win 28/1
Emperor Spirit finished last at Chelmsford on his final start of last season, but I wouldn't be as surprised as the market if he were able to bounce back to a better level of form on his seasonal debut.
He was inconsistent last season after joining Michael Keady, but he ran well when last racing over five furlongs at Newcastle, and he won on his seasonal debut for the yard at Newmarket after a 314-day absence.
That added to his very good record when fresh, as he won and was beaten a nose when coming off other breaks of over 300 days, and finished second on another occasion after 131 days off.
Emperor Spirit is returning after an absence of 134 days today and I'm hopeful that he can add to that excellent record when returning from a break.
There is the concern that he might not be as good as he once was, but he should be favourably positioned in a race where the only other likely pace could come from All Ways Glamorous, and I think the market is overlooking his chance. Any 20/1 or bigger appeals.
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