Horse Racing Tips: Rhys Williams likes a winning pointer to strike over hurdles at Punchestown

Shaped better than the result on last two starts

Punchestown 15:05: Steelers Appeal 0.5pt e/w 18/1

The huge early prices on Steelers Appeal went last night but I think he's still overpriced this morning given the promise of his last two runs at Thurles.

The first of those was in a maiden hurdle over 2m7f. Dropped out in last at the start, he raced a bit keenly under restraint through the early stages. He made a little headway with just over a circuit to go and continued that progress early in the back straight when moving towards the head of the chasing pack behind the leading trio. He went into fourth leaving the back straight and still held that position at 2 out before having little left to offer and fading late on to be beaten 21 lengths in seventh.

This was a promising effort from Steelers Appeal and the form was given a boost when the fourth, Futurum Regem, was a handicap very easily off 102 on Sunday.

Steelers Appeal was dropped markedly in trip to race over 2m for his handicap debut at the same track five days ago. Once again he was held up early on before making a huge move from early in the back straight to be in a share of third turning the bend out of the back straight. He landed a bit flat-footed at 3 out and gradually dropped away to once again be beaten 21 lengths in seventh.

The way that he made headway in both of those races suggests that Steelers Appeal could be better than a mark of 93 and I'm hoping that he will be given a more patient ride today back up in trip to make a late challenge rather than making up plenty of ground in a short space of time earlier in the race.

There is a concern that his jumping has lacked fluency and it might be that he's just a very weak finisher but in a race that lacks strength in depth I think he is capable of running well and any 16/1 or bigger appeals.