Rhys Williams' Friday Racing Tips: Schmidt to bounce back

May get relatively soft lead

Uttoxeter 15:15: Schmidt 1pt win 3/1

Schmidt was beaten 27 lengths on his latest start at Cartmel but he shaped better than the result suggests that day and the race didn't play out ideally for him.

He was taken on for the lead and soon headed by Sword Of Fate who set a good pace. That put pressure on Schmidt's jumping and mistakes crept in, the most notable one at 3 out when he was briefly down on his nose and slithered slightly on landing. He was still only a few lengths behind the leader in fourth at the start of the long run in but he started to weaken going through the wings of the last hurdle and had nothing left late on, finishing sixth.

Unlike on that occasion, I think Schmidt might not face much pressure for the lead today unless they send Black Scorpion forward with the blinkers now going on. If that doesn't happen and Brian Hughes can control a steady pace on Schmidt, that will play against Atlantic Storm and Romanor, both of whom are at their best in strongly run races with horses coming back to them rather than them having to chase.

Schmidt's previous two runs at Tramore and Perth suggest that he could be better than his mark of 107 and a visor now replaces cheekpieces. He went well for a long way on his only previous start wearing a visor so that could spark more life into him.

He's never been completely reliable but I think these circumstances give him the optimum chance to show his best and any 9/4 or bigger appeals.

Ran well over C&D two starts ago in stronger race

Down Royal 17:00: Twenty Minutes 1pt win 9/1

Twenty Minutes returns to the C&D over which he ran well two starts ago off a 3lb higher mark and I think the market has underestimated his chance from the inside stall.

He finished sixth behind Chocquinto in that run over C&D despite having been stuck out wide throughout. He raced about five or six wide for most of the race and was pushed along turning the bend with just under two furlongs to go. He responded well for pressure but could never quite challenge the leaders and was beaten 2¾ lengths.

The winner has won again since off a 5lb higher mark while the third ran well in a Premier handicap off a 6lb higher mark two starts later and the fourth and fifth have been narrowly denied off the same marks since.

Twenty Minutes has run once since at this track when stepped back up to seven furlongs. He was dropped out from a wide draw and was again stuck wide for most of the race, failing to get competitive and finishing a well beaten sixth.

While a stiff five furlongs or possibly an extra half furlong would be ideal for Twenty Minutes, I think this is a more suitable trip for him and he now gets the benefit of the inside draw so there shouldn't be a repeat of the trips that he's got on his last two starts.

It may be that the pace won't quite be strong enough for him to close late but this a weaker contest than the one he contested two starts ago and any 7/1 or bigger appeals.

Showed more promise than result suggests last time

Down Royal 17:00: Motheerah 1pt win 33/1

Motheerah showed some ability on debut at Leopardstown over seven furlongs before being tailed off over a mile on soft ground at Naas.

For her latest run, she was dropped back to 5½ furlongs at Navan and showed plenty of speed. She easily led the field on the far side rail early on and still just about held an advantage two furlongs out. Pushed along, she was soon headed after and gradually started to fade. She was in sixth a furlong out before fading tamely in the final furlong and was beaten 15 lengths.

The winner of that maiden was Stag Night, who now has a rating of 90, while the runner up Wren's Breath has since won a Listed race and there were three mid-70s horses back in third, fourth and fifth.

The manner in which Motheerah took the early lead and that she managed to stay in contention for so long against opposition of that quality is encouraging now that she enters handicap company for the first time off a mark of 55.

It may be that she's inconsistent and won't back up that effort or that she might want a more patient ride over a bit further to be seen at her best but I think her chance has been completely missed by the market in a weak race and any 14/1 or bigger appeals.