Rhys Williams' Tuesday Racing Tips: Auckland to take advantage of lenient mark

Likely strong pace could suit tricky customer

Beverley 15:50: Motarajel 1pt win 16/1

The presence of Langholm, Los Camachos and a few other possible challengers for the lead should ensure that this race is strongly run and that could see Motarajel arrest the decline that he's currently on.

He started his career in France with François Rohaut and showed a good level of ability while also looking far from straightforward. Cheekpieces were reached for on only his second start and the application of them was successful as he got off the mark despite not going past the leader as easily as it appeared he would.

The level of his form dipped towards the end of his time with Rohaut and he was bought for 2,000gns at the 2020 Tattersalls Autumn Sale to join current connections.

Motarajel made a promising start to his time with Tim Easterby when finishing fourth at Redcar over seven furlongs off 72 but his performances since generally haven't been anywhere near so encouraging.

He ran awfully in a first time eyeshield next time at Doncaster and faded away late on over a mile at Wetherby.

He ran fairly well two starts ago off 65 at Doncaster over six furlongs. He was squeezed out of his position after two furlongs and kept battling away under pressure late on in a race where it was difficult to make ground.

On his latest start at Haydock, he was outpaced and looked like dropping right away before rallying to finish well despite being second last.

Motarajel has now dropped to 59, 13lb below the mark that he finished fourth off at Redcar in April. I think the return to seven furlongs and likely strong pace will suit him and the cheekpieces that he wore to success in France are back on.

He's clearly not an easy ride and he could easily put in another shocker if not in the mood but I think these circumstances give him a chance to show his true ability and any 10/1 or bigger appeals.

Strong pace and drop back in trip to suit

Worcester 17:35: Pirate Sam 0.5pt win 22/1

The favourite for this race, Knight Destroyer, won comfortably last time and his revival could continue this evening but he's likely to face more pressure for the lead and a possible strong pace may see a couple of outsiders perform better than the market expects.

Pirate Sam showed little over hurdles and fell on chasing debut at Stratford but he ran better than his finishing position suggests on his latest start at the same track.

He started adrift of the field, giving away around five lengths to the second last horse, and he was still in last after a circuit. He started to make some ground early on the final circuit and then made a big move on the outside going down the back straight to be about a length and a half behind the leader at the first in the back. He was pushed along after but remained in contention until an awkward jump at 2 out, after which he gradually faded away.

That was over 2m3½f and I think the combination of a drop back to 2m and a likely strong pace will suit Pirate Sam, who races off a 4lb lower mark than he did at Stratford.

He has had issues with his jumping and he jumped out to the right at times at Stratford which is a concern and he has to show that he can finish a race strongly.

However, despite these concerns, I think the market has underestimated his chance as, unlike most of this field, he's had very few chances to show his true ability and any 16/1 or bigger appeals.

Gradually running into full fitness

Worcester 17:35: Robin Des Mana 0.5pt win 50/1

Robin Des Mana ran on the same card as Pirate Sam last time and he also shaped better than his finishing position suggests.

Restrained at the back of the field early on, he was still some way behind the leading group going out on to the final circuit before making a huge move going down the back straight to be just over a couple of lengths behind the leader at the first in the back. He was still in the leading group, a few lengths behind the leader, when he made a mistake at 2 out and dropped away very quickly after that.

When winning at Ffos Las in 2019, his owner/trainer/reported that it had taken several runs to the get the horse straight after a long absence, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he's a horse who takes a while to get fully fit and the two runs he's had this season may have put him spot on for tonight.

Robin Des Mana is inconsistent and he jockey may make another premature and inefficient big move which won't help his chance but he's off a 5lb lower mark than he raced off at Stratford and that performance suggested that he still has ability so any 25/1 or bigger appeals.

German flat form suggests he's well handicapped

Galway 20:15: Auckland 1pt win 12/1

Following the success of Princess Zoe, it seems that Tony Mullins was keen to try to find another future star that was in the care of Stefan Richter and Auckland was purchased.

Having been very green on debut, Auckland showed some ability in a couple of maidens at Dresden before running awfully on handicap debut at the same track with blinkers on for the first time.

Those blinkers were quickly replaced by cheekpieces for his next start, back in maiden company, and he got off the mark. He got to the better of a battle with Lascalo and the pair pulled well clear of the rest of the field.

He stepped up on that form when winning by a wide margin on his final start for Richter in an auction race at Hoppegarten. Held up in a well-run race, he was still in third last turning the final bend before soon getting to the front in the straight and gradually drawing clear despite continually drifting left, sharply so late on.

The runner up, Palm Springs, finished third next time behind multiple Group 3 runner up Schwesterherz. The third, Sweet Author, had finished a close fifth on his previous start behind Tax For Max and Austrian Derby winner Kellahen. The fourth, Norris, won a maiden on his previous start while the fifth, Furioso, had finished third to Kellahen in the Austrian Derby.

Since joining Tony Mullins, Auckland has only run over hurdles and his jumping has let him down at times. He's started to show more having been stepped up in trip on his last two starts, despite neither track being suitable for him, and I think a test of stamina is what he wants.

He looked in need of a test of stamina in finishing fifth and fourth in two maidens at Dresden on good ground and stamina certainly looked his strong suit when winning at Hoppegarten on his final start in Germany so I think the 2m½f trip tonight will be ideal for him.

Auckland hasn't looked the easiest ride at times and it may be that he will be at his best on a flat, galloping track rather than a track like this but the quality of his final run in Germany suggests that a mark of 74 underestimates his ability and any 8/1 or bigger appeals.

Return to the flat could spark revival

Galway 20:15: Dalileo 0.5pt win 40/1

Dalileo finished a close eighth off a 10lb higher mark at last year's Galway Festival and I think he's capable of bouncing back after a lean spell of late.

Given the ability that he showed on the flat for Johnny Murtagh, more could have been expected of him over hurdles but he's jumped shoddily at times and he was never the most straightforward on the flat in the past so it could be that he just doesn't fancy putting in much effort in that sphere.

This is the first time that he's run on the flat for 'Shark' Hanlon and he's proven over this trip and on soft ground so it would be no surprise if ran well. Any 25/1 or bigger appeals.