Rhys Williams' Monday Racing Tips: Esprit to bounce back over hurdles

Shown ability while mark has dropped

Newton Abbot 13:45: Esprit De Somoza 1pt win 9/1

Only four line up in this two-mile handicap hurdle and I think the outsider of the four is being underestimated by the market.

Esprit De Somoza's last three runs over obstacles have resulted in being pulled up twice and beaten 50 lengths at Wincanton but he ran far better than the result suggests in one of those runs and he's been showing that he still retains ability in other spheres.

He pulled up in a novices' handicap chase at Wincanton in mid-December but was in contention for a long way. Handy from the off, he showed a tendency to edge left at the fences but was in front leaving the back straight in a leading group of three. He got in close and edged left again at the cross fence and was headed. He emptied very quickly approaching 3 out and was pulled up.

He's only had one run since over obstacles when jumping very cautiously and once again out to the left at Sandown and he was never in contention before being pulled up.

Between those two runs, Esprit De Somoza won a jumpers bumper at Lingfield and finished a third close in another at Kempton under a penalty, showing that he still has a good level of ability.

Following his run at Sandown, he left Gary Moore and moved back to Jane Williams who he ran twice for in 2018. Both of his runs since moving back to Williams have come on the flat over 1m2f and he's run better than the result suggests in both.

He was slowly away and looked quite awkward through the first half of the race at Chepstow before making a big move to be in a leading line of five with around 2½ furlongs to go. The effort to make that move soon told as he dropped away to finish fifth.

On his latest start at Salisbury, he was again slowly away and raced towards the back of the field early on. He made headway around the top bend to race in midfield early in the home straight and continued that progress to be in a leading line of three with three furlongs to go. He gradually faded from that point without being given an overly hard time.

It's been clear that Esprit De Somoza's jumping has been an issue over fences and his rating has dropped from 133 to 121 in four runs in that sphere. His hurdles rating has dropped in line with that and that looks overly generous given that his jumping has held him back over fences.

The return to hurdling should, therefore, suit and the return to a left-handed track is likely to suit too given that he's jumped out to the left on right-handed tracks.

The rain that's already fallen this morning and is forecast for later may not be ideal for him but he's shown that he can still run well on softer ground and that may not be ideal for any of his three rivals either. It's also a slight concern how quickly he's weakened on a few occasions of late which suggests he might have a physical issue.

However, in a race with no obvious front runner, there could be a chance for Chester Williams to control the pace in front and I would be less surprised than the market if Esprit De Somoza bounced back over hurdles today, with any 7/1 or bigger appealing.