Horse Racing Tips: Rhys Williams likes a handicap debutant at Clonmel

Potential improver in a very weak race

Clonmel 16:51: Mahler Appeal 1pt win 13/2

The majority of this field have already shown themselves to be of very limited ability but there's one horse who has been running well of late who I think can show he's better than his mark on handicap debut.

Mahler Appeal had three runs over hurdles in the space of just over two months last year and I thought he clearly looked inexperienced.

He was then off the track for 190 days before returning in a maiden point and he was backed into joint favourite but lost his place early in the back straight on the final circuit and he was pulled up entering the home straight.

He showed more next time when finishing third behind subsequent maiden hurdle winner Grandero Bello on soft ground at Boulta but his jumping let him down at Ballindenisk where he came down at 3 out.

On his latest start at Turtulla, the fences in the home straight were taken out due to low sun and given his previous jumping issues, that helped his cause. He was also ridden much handier than on his previous starts and after jumping the last (usual 4 out), he gradually went further and further clear of his rivals to win by nearer twenty lengths than the official fifteen from Champagne Trail. That horse has been placed in maidens either side of this run and the performance from Mahler Appeal suggests that he could be better than his mark of 86.

I think Mahler Appeal relished the increased test of stamina provided by the lack of obstacles and the three mile test in the mud today is likely to suit him, with the hurdles likely to prove more suitable than point fences for him.

There is always the concern when a horse hasn't shown anything under rules and then improves in points that they won't transfer that ability back to racing under rules but hopefully it was just immaturity that caused Mahler Appeal to run so poorly over hurdles in the past and any 6/1 or bigger appeals.