Rhys Williams' Monday Racing Tips: Reapplied tongue tie to spark revival

Longer trip and strong pace to suit

Ballinrobe 17:00: Josh d'Id 1pt e/w 8/1

Four of the five horses that are shorter than 10/1 for this 2m2f hurdle are at their best when making the runner or racing very prominently so it's likely that there will be some competition for the lead and a strong pace. That could set the race up for the remaining horse that fills that market criteria.

Josh d'Id was a comfortable winner on his only start for Daniela Mele at Saint-Brieuc (official margin of victory about five lengths further than it was). He moved between midfield and tracking the leaders for the first two circuits on the very tight track before easing into second going down the back for the final time. Along with Hecto Des Mottes, he drew clear of the rest of the field and was nudged along to challenge that rival just before turning into the home straight. He soon eased upsides and went on at two out and from that point he went further clear under little urging.

While that wasn't an overly strong race, a repeat of the level that Josh d'Id ran on that occasion would be enough to give him a very strong chance tonight.

He was bought by JP McManus following that win and moved to Gavin Cromwell. His only start for Cromwell so far came at Fairyhouse when he was a well-beaten fifth. He raced in midfield from the off but was starting to be nudged along when making an error at three out. That left him towards the back of the field and he was outpaced and not given a hard time by his rider after.

While it is a bit concerning that he was so easily left behind by the leaders once turning into the straight, that was a much stronger race than the one he's in today and that was only over two miles. His win in France came over 2m2f and he looked a strong stayer so the return to that trip should help.

It's likely that he will be seen to best effect over 2m4f and further down the line so it's possible that even a strongly-run race at this trip won't be enough of a test for Josh d'Id and his jumping is a slight concern. He went out slightly to the left at Fairyhouse so a repeat of that wouldn't be ideal around Ballinrobe.

However, his debut showed that he has as much ability as any of his opposition today and when some of his rivals start to cry enough late on, he may be the one staying on strongly to pick them off.

Reapplied tongue tie could spark a revival

Ballinrobe 19:00: So Easy Way 0.5pt e/w 50/1

A recent change in the rules now means that tongue ties are declared in France. This will help trainers who, at times, would have a horse arrive to them from France and would have no idea that the horse had worn a tongue tie when racing over there. As for punters, it's a positive and a negative. On the positive side, it gives more data to those betting on French racing. On the negative side, it will take away the angle of the reapplied tongue tie being unknown to the majority, something that may also be an angle at the moment for the more gambling-minded trainers and owners.

However, the angle is still potentially in play with horses that have already moved to Britain or Ireland and that's the case with So Easy Way. He started his career in France with Laura Lemiere but showed nothing on his three starts for her.

That changed when moved to the Butel-Beaunez partnership. He ran fairly well on his first start for them over hurdles at Clairefontaine before finishing a close second on his chasing debut at Dieppe. He dropped away very quickly from the final bend on his following start in a strong race at Auteuil before ending his time in France with a victory in a claiming chase at Compiegne. He travelled strongly through the race and eased into a narrow lead entering the straight. Driven along going to two out, he was joined again but battled on well to hold off four close challengers late on.

Rather than being claimed at the time, he was bought privately and only moved to Britain in the summer of the following year to join Harry Whittington. He looked on a harsh mark of 135 when joining him and so it proved as he was beaten 15 and 25 lengths respectively on his two starts for Whittington, having had a wind op in between them.

He was entered in the Goffs UK Online Sale in January 2021 and was unsold at £19,500 but was subsequently bought privately to join Iggy Madden.

So Easy Way has been pulled up on both starts for Madden but despite that he's shown that he still retains ability. His first run came at this track earlier this month over 2m3½f and he still appeared to be going well down the back for the final time. However, after jumping four out he was pushed along and found little before being pulled up.

It was a similar story on his latest start at Kilbeggan over 2m4f. He raced a bit keenly under restraint early on and he was travelling well turning into the back straight but once pushed along he only made a little headway before dropping right away on the long run to the last.

On all four starts since leaving France he's not worn the tongue tie that he wore when racing over there for the Butel-Beaunez partnership. However, a tongue tie now goes on tonight and it wouldn't be a surprise if he was to improve for that and the drop back in trip to 2m1f. He's also been dropped another 7lb for his last run to 109, a decision that looks a bit on the hasty side to me given how well he's travelled for a long way in both starts in Ireland.

When he first ran for Whittington, my concern was that he may not even stay two miles in Britain because of the stronger pace. The nature of the tracks he ran well at in France had helped him to get the trip. Therefore, even though the tongue tie may help, it may also be a case that he simply won't even stay 2m1f. There's also the obvious concern that his trainer's last winner was Baby Bellini in September 2018, although he did have a recent runner up at Limerick.

It may turn out that So Easy Way has a problem that means he can't run to the level he was once capable of but with the return of the tongue tie, I can't let him go unbacked at such a big price in a fairly weak race. Odds of 16/1 or bigger appeals.