Horse Racing Tips: Rhys Williams fancies Saint to score at Taunton

• Showed good level of ability in bumpers

• Not an overly strong race for hurdling debut

• Saint Anapolino is overpriced at Taunton

Taunton - 12:50 - Back Saint Anapolino

10

Saint Anapolino (Fr)

• J: Sean Houlihan
• T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White
• F:

With Tripoli Flyer out of the race, the novice hurdle at Taunton becomes much weaker. Jackpot Des Bordes ran well in bumpers but he jumped terribly on hurdling debut so while he's capable of much better than he showed in a strong race at Exeter, that aspect of his performance will need to be sharper today and he looks short enough with that in mind.

At the prices, I'm taking him on with Saint Anapolino. He started his career with a comfortable victory in a point bumper before switching to racing under rules. On his first start under rules, he shaped quite well in a bumper behind subsequent Aintree Grade 2 bumper winner Horaces Pearl while still looking quite green. He followed that with another good run in defeat at Exeter in very testing ground behind a smart rival in Joyau Allen where he wandered around under pressure in the awful conditions.

I think the quality of those two runs is as good as any others in this race achieved in bumpers and Saint Anapolino still looked quite inexperienced in those races so we may see a more mentally mature display from him today.

There is the obvious unknown over how he will jump on hurdling debut but hopefully that will be fine and he gets a suitably positive ride around this sharp test. Any 4/15.00 or bigger appeals.

Musselburgh - 14:45 - Back Wild Side Of Life

5

Wild Side Of Life (Ire)

• J: Adam Wedge
• T: L J Morgan
• F:

Wild Side Of Life finished well beaten when sent off favourite on handicap hurdle debut at Southwell when last seen but that was on very testing ground and I think he can fare better today on chasing debut.

He also jumped out to the right at Southwell, something that he had done in past races too, so the switch to a right-handed track for the first time in his career could bring improvement from him.

Wild Side Of Life ran to a fairly good level in his two completed starts in novice hurdles at Wetherby and Sedgefield, despite neither track being ideal, and he looked to be more at home on better ground in points so any further drying of the ground is likely to be in his favour.

Given the way he jumped fences in points, I'm hopeful that the switch to fences under rules will not only not be an issue but will bring improvement from him and any 4/15.00 or bigger appeals.

Now read Katie Midwinter's Thursday tips here.