Horse Racing Tips: Rhys Williams fancies Espoir on return to hurdling

Jumping has let him down of late over fences

Worcester 18:55: Espoir De Teillee 1pt win 15/2

Solo Saxophone was given a very good ride when winning over C&D last time but I'm hoping the jockeys on his opposition won't give him so much rope early on today and the ground might be quicker than ideal for him.

Bashful Boy could bounce back with the cheekpieces back on and Imperial Elysian had a nice warm up for this in a charity race last time but I'm siding with the outsider of the four who I think is overpriced given his quality when at his best.

Espoir De Teillee hasn't shown that of late but his jumping has let him down in his three most recent starts over fences. I thought he ran respectably two starts ago at Aintree when his jumping was far from fluent but he managed to stay in touch with the chasing pack until fading turning into the straight, running over a trip that was always likely to stretch his stamina.

An awful mistake at the last in the back straight resulted in him being pulled up immediately on his latest start at the same track and he's now back over hurdles for the first time since running in the Grade 2 Prix Leon Rambaud at Auteuil in April last year.

He will find this company far easier than the rivals he faced that day and a hurdles rating of 128 could underplay his ability having reached a peak of 145 over fences since last running over hurdles in Britain.

There is a worry that his wind might be an issue and his tendency to jump out to the right over fences could be repeated back over hurdles which wouldn't help his chance but I think he's overpriced given the potential to bounce back and any 13/2 or bigger appeals.