Horse Racing Tips: Rhys Williams fancies winning pointer back under rules at Newton Abbot

• Shown improvement in points this season

• This looks the ideal trip for her

• Imperial Pride is overpriced at Newton Abbot

Newton Abbot - 15:30 - Back Imperial Pride

Imperial Pride ran respectably in handicaps when last seen under rules but she looked an improved mare in points this season and on her return to racing under rules, I think she can take advantage of her mark of 90.

On her first start switching back to pointing, she was ridden as though she was a strong stayer but after going clear she was caught at the last and beaten by subsequent bumper winner, That'll Do Moss.

A tongue tie was put on for the first time on her next start at Cothelstone where she did well to recover from a mistake at two out to get up on the line in very testing conditions.

Imperial Pride took a big step forward on her next start on better ground at Dingley where she beat a good field with ease. She was ridden far more patiently on that occasion and was last with a circuit to go before making ground down the back straight. She easily went to the front after jumping two out and quickly put distance between herself and her nearest rivals in the home straight, going on to beat a good rival in Cash Or Card by 11 lengths.

On her final start of the pointing season, Imperial Pride won the Mares Final at Chaddesley Corbett. Once again, she was ridden patiently and was in fifth towards the end of the back straight before a very quick jump at four out soon took her into second. She managed to catch Mini Fortune just before the last and went on to win by 1½ lengths from that rival who was looking to make it six wins in a row.

The quality of Imperial Pride's performances in her last two wins suggests that she is now better than her rating of 90 and it could be that a combination of time and the application of a tongue tie has caused that improvement since she was last seen under rules. Given the manner in which she travelled through her races in points, I think this could be the ideal trip for her too and they may not need to ride her quite so patiently over it.

It may turn out that she is just more suited to the tempo of races in points and I think this is a fairly good race for the grade but she looks capable of making an impact if in the same form that she's been in this season and any 9/25.50 or bigger appeals.

Now read Mark Milligan's Tuesday tips here