Horse Racing Tips: Rhys Williams' NAP is a chaser at Hereford

Frequently looked in need of shorter trip

Plumpton 14:10: Touch Tight 1pt win 28/1

It's not surprising that there's been early market support for Minella Hub and Style Council on their chasing and handicap debuts in this race but there's another chasing debutant whose chance I think the market is currently overlooking.

Touch Tight started his career in Irish points with Robert Tyner and got off the mark on his sixth attempt, beating Bright Rhett who has since been placed twice in hunter chases.

He was then privately bought by Phil York and showed promise on his second start for him in a novices' hurdle at Lingfield over two miles. Having been held up, he made headway towards the end of the back straight and that progress continued coming down the hill which put him in a very close share of third entering the home straight.

After jumping two out he had little left and dropped away to be beaten 18½ lengths in fourth. The winner of that race went on to be rated 136 over hurdles while the runner up is rated 126.

Touch Tight has continued to often show some promise in races over longer trips since with the same pattern of him being held up before making headway and then not seeing out the trip.

As a result of those performances over unsuitable distances, his rating has slipped to 93 and he's now back down to a suitable distance for his chasing debut so I think he could be capable of a better result today.

There is a concern that his jumping wasn't great in points and it might be that he will need the run after a 213-day break but this isn't a particularly strong race and any 20/1 or bigger appeals.

Showed promise in point debut

Punchestown 14:20: Sainte Dona 0.5pt win 150/1

There are some talented mares in the line up for this maiden hurdle but I can't resist backing a hurdling newcomer at a huge price given the ability she showed on her debut in a point.

Sainte Dona made her debut at Boulta and having initially raced in midfield, she jumped into a very close third at 4 out. She was still in the leading group of five on the run to 2 out but got squeezed up and lost her place a little turning the final bend. She jumped 2 out in a share of fourth and couldn't match the leading trio on the run to the last but stayed on well while not being given an overly hard time to be beaten 5¾ lengths.

That looked a strong mares maiden and the form has already taken some boosts with the runner up winning comfortably since while the fifth has finished a much closer third since. The winner, Copperfasten, was sold for £160,000 at the Cheltenham Sale on Saturday while the aforementioned runner up, Desert Fortune, was sold for £80,000.

It may be that this race is a bit too strong for Sainte Dona on her rules debut or that she might need a bit further to show her best but she shouldn't be such a huge price given the ability she showed on debut and any 50/1 or bigger appeals.

Return to more prominent tactics would help

Hereford 14:30: Drumlee Watar 1pt win 10/1

The presence of On Call in this small field means that this race is likely to be strongly run and I'm hoping that Drumlee Watar will be tracking him and can outstay his rivals.

He looked a thorough stayer over hurdles and his only disappointing run over a staying trip in that sphere came when a visor was put on for the first time at Cheltenham and he clearly didn't react well to that.

On his final run over hurdles in a handicap at Newbury, he was always handy and jumped 2 out in second but couldn't go with the leading trio approaching the last and a mistake there didn't help his cause before he eventually finished ninth.

Drumlee Watar made his chasing debut at Exeter last month and far different tactics to usual were used as he was held up. He could never get into a challenging position but he hadn't lost touch with the field entering the home straight when he was eased and pulled up.

He's been dropped 2lb for that and I'm hoping that they go back to riding him prominently today after that experiment of holding him up clearly didn't work. He looks the strongest stayer in this field and the thorough test of stamina that could be created if On Call sets a quick pace should play to his advantage and against a few of his rivals.

He can be quirky and doesn't always look the easiest ride but he showed over hurdles that he can find plenty for pressure and any 8/1 or bigger appeals.