Horse Racing Tips: Rhys Williams fancies 40/1 British raider to spring a surprise at Punchestown

• Good run in defeat at Aintree

• Returning to quicker ground

• Knockanore is overpriced at Punchestown

Punchestown - 14:30 - Back Knockanore

It was a good start to the Punchestown Festival yesterday for British raiders in handicaps with Tune In A Box winning the Full Circles Series Final, Montregard finishing third in that race and Brentford Hope finishing second to Daddy Long Legs later on the card.

I'm hoping there can be more British success in the opening handicap hurdle today with Knockanore being one of just two representatives for the 'away' team. He showed plenty of ability early in his career, splitting Meetingofthewaters and Senior Chief on his second start in the Irish pointing field.

He ran well in two bumpers but struggled on his first two starts over hurdles before being a surprise winner at Carlisle when his trainer commented afterwards that he had been difficult to train.

That might be the cause for his generally inconsistent profile but I think he's been helped in more recent outings by the combination of the application of cheekpieces and being ridden much handier.

He won in them at Ffos Las and ran well in a handicap at Aintree earlier this season. I think the lack of hurdles in the home straight didn't help him that day and he was caught late on by subsequent Long Walk winner Crambo and Santos Blue who has won two handicaps since.

Knockanore was still in contention when coming down at two out on his next start at Cheltenham and he was then off the track before returning at Newbury in March. That looked to be a prep run as he was held up and could never get involved in very testing conditions while not being given an overly hard time.

Given that he's tended to jump out to the right, the switch to a right-handed track today should be in his favour and I expect they will revert to riding him much handier. He may also benefit from others having had a busier season than him and he should enjoy the better ground than last time.

It might be that he will put in one of his lesser runs or that this will be a bit too competitive for him but I think the market is underestimating his chance and any 20/121.00 or bigger appeals.

Now read Daryl Carter's Wednesday tips here.