Rhys Williams' Racing Tips: 3 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 314.37 points from 175.50 points staked, meaning his profit and loss record stands at a whopping +138.87pts overall - thanks to a sensational recent spell that included Lamar Canyon's win at 150/1 on Tuesday.
Here are Rhys' tips for today, using the most up-to-date odds from the best horse racing betting sites.
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16:30 Down Royal: Cashel Blue - 0.5pt Win @ 10/1
Cashel Blue makes her handicap debut in the opening sprint at Down Royal, and I think she has a better chance of making that a successful one than the market suggests.
She showed some ability on debut at Cork, travelling well before looking green when asked for her effort, and then being squeezed up between rivals.
Her next run at the same track can easily be forgiven as she raced against what appeared to be a vastly unfavourable near rail.
Last time at Navan, she was given a very patient ride and made some late headway to finish fifth.
I’m hoping that she will be ridden at least a bit handier today and I think the better ground will be in her favour.
The way she travelled on debut suggests she has the speed for this test, and while I’m not certain that the track will be ideal, I think an opening mark of 58 could underplay her ability.
Any 8/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 1: 16:30 Down Royal: Cashel Blue - 0.5pt Win
17:05 Down Royal: Croi Gra - 0.5pt Win @ 66/1
Croi Gra is having her third start in this maiden and the market seems to be expecting it to be a run with a handicap mark in mind, but I’m not so sure that will be the case and that has led to her being overpriced.
She made her debut over a mile on soft ground at Gowran and opened up a clear advantage on the field leaving the back straight.
She was passed by the now 94-rated winner with just under two furlongs to go, but kept on well enough to finish third.
Given how keenly she went that day, it was surprising that Croi Gra was stepped up in trip to 1m2f last time at Navan.
It was no surprise that, after once again going clear of the pack, she had nothing left in the closing stages and faded into 11th.
The drop back to seven furlongs should be far more suitable for her and it’s interesting that they have taken the hood off.
That could suggest that they are once again going to be positive with her from the off and over this trip and on this track, she could prove harder to catch than has been the case in her first two starts.
Any 25/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 2: 17:05 Down Royal: Croi Gra - 0.5pt Win
18:30 Tramore: Straightupsideways - 0.5pt Win @ 66/1
Straightupsideways makes her rules debut in this mares maiden hurdle and I think she could run better than her big price suggests.
She was well backed for her point debut at Ballycahane last year, and while she wouldn’t have challenged the winner, she was still in contention for a place when falling at two out, leaving Teenage Kiss, who is now rated 105, to easily take second.
Straightupsideways was off for over a year after that before returning to action last month.
Her jumping let her down on the final circuit and she had dropped out of contention when falling at two out.
Given how poor her jumping was that day, I think the switch to hurdling is a positive for her and they have found a race that doesn’t have too much depth for her rules debut.
It may be that the debut fall has left its mark and she won’t live up to the market expectations from that day, but I think she has more ability than her price suggests and any 33/1 or bigger appeals.
Rhys' Selection 3: 18:30 Tramore: Straightupsideways - 0.5pt Win
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