Horse Racing Tips: Rhys Williams has a 16/1 NAP at Doncaster

• Returning to more suitable trip

• Hopefully a return to front running tactics

• Rhys Williams thinks Hiconic is overpriced at Doncaster

Return to front running tactics would help

Doncaster 15:40: Hiconic 1pt win 16/1

Hiconic's rating has gradually been on the slide since running in juvenile hurdles but I think that decline could be arrested today now that she's back to a suitable distance and potentially could gain a tactical advantage.

She had been a front runner prior to running at Worcester three starts ago when she was held up on her first start after a wind op. She was outpaced and looked to race a bit awkwardly after 3 out before finishing strongly on the run-in to take fourth.

That may have been a prep run for the Prelude at Market Rasen the following month. She raced on the inside in midfield early on before losing her place with just over a circuit to go and dropping towards the back. She made headway towards the end of the back straight to be just behind the leaders but she dropped away tamely and was quickly pulled up early in the home straight.

Hiconic was off the track for 71 days after that before her latest start over 2m4½f at Huntingdon. She travelled well for a long way and was still going well in a close third turning the final bend but once asked for her effort she couldn't go with the leaders and weakened late on.

She's been dropped 4lb for that run which I think is generous given the trip was clearly too far and she now returns to a suitable distance. I'm also hoping that they go back to front running tactics with her as there's no obvious front runner in this race so she may be able to gain a tactical advantage as a result and different tactics haven't worked with her.

It might be that she just isn't as good as she once was and has a problem that has caused the decline but if she's going to bounce back then it may be under these circumstances and any 14/1 or bigger appeals.