Horse Racing Tips: Rhys Williams' NAP is a maiden handicapper at Dundalk

Unsuitable ground when disappointing last time

Dundalk 19:00: Motheerah 1pt win 16/1

Motheerah was never in contention when towards the front of the market on her latest start at the Curragh in August but that was on soft ground and I think she could be capable of showing more this evening on an artificial surface.

She was slowly into stride that day and raced in second last through the first half of the race before making some headway from two furlongs out to finish ninth.

Her action suggests that she doesn't want cut in the ground and she ran far better at Down Royal on her previous start on good ground when running on well on the outside late on having once again been slowly away.

Both of those runs were over five furlongs but she showed on debut that she can show ability over further when finishing fifth at Leopardstown over seven furlongs. She was last away from the stalls and was still in third leaving the back straight. She made some headway turning the bend and early in the home straight before her effort flattened out a bit late on. She finished 9½ lengths behind the winner which was a respectable effort with the front four all now being rated 85+ on turf.

It might be that Motheerah's ideal test will be a strongly-run six furlongs and her slow-starting tendencies could be an issue again but I think she's shown on more than one occasion that she could be better than her rating of 52 and in a moderate race, any 12/1 or bigger appeals.