Horse Racing Tips: Rhys Williams' NAP is a 50/1 shot at Limerick

Return of blinkers could spark a revival

Limerick 19:45: The Red Menace 0.5pt win 50/1

The Red Menace's latest two runs since returning under rules wouldn't offer much hope for his chance today but he's gone without blinkers in both of those starts and with them back on today I think he has a better chance than his big price suggests.

Blinkers were first applied when he was trained by Noel Meade and he responded well to them, winning a chase at Galway by 21 lengths on the second occasion he wore them having run respectably in a handicap hurdle first time.

His form tailed off after that for Meade but he bounced back when moved to his current trainer, Shane Ryder. He had gone without blinkers on his final two starts for Meade but with them back on, he finished third in a handicap chase at Galway off 132. He was beaten under ten lengths on two more occasions in May and July last year off 131 and 130 before his form took a downward turn.

The Red Menace has gone without blinkers in all four starts this year and the only time he wore any headgear was when pulling up in a point with cheekpieces on. He stayed in touch for a long way at Limerick before not seeing out the trip and the handicapper has dropped him 11lb over fences on the back of that.

I think he's looked in need of blinkers on a few of those occasions and the combination of those and a drop back in trip give hope that he could return to the form he showed last season when running well off marks in the low 130s.

It may be that he also needs a tongue tie back on before he shows his best again or that switching him to pointing was a sign that he's just not as good as he was but I think he's overpriced given the potential for a return to better form and any 25/1 or bigger appeals.