Horse Racing Tips: Rhys Williams' NAP is a maiden stepping up in trip at Newcastle

Plenty of promise shown on both starts

Newcastle 19:00: Adjourn 1pt win 5/2

State Event ran fairly well in the Wood Ditton but I'm not sure well enough for there to be such a gap in the market between him and Adjourn given the ability that rival showed in two starts last year.

He made his debut at Chester over 7½ furlongs and was a bit awkwardly away before racing at the back of the field. He was still travelling well in last when switched to the outside to get a run turning the final bend and he picked up well for pressure but couldn't put in a challenge to Artaois who was better positioned in a race where the pace steadied in the middle.

Adjourn was stepped up half a furlong in trip for his second start at Newmarket and he was sharper away from the stalls, racing handily just behind the leader. He moved into a share of the lead three furlongs out but he looked a bit awkward going down the dip and lost his position a little before staying on again once meeting rising ground to finish fifth, beaten 2½ lengths.

The first four home in that race are now rated 101, 107, 99 and 99 and there was a four length gap back to the sixth who is now rated 74. This was another promising run from Adjourn, particularly given he didn't appear to handle the dip too well, and one that suggested there could be more to come from him as a three-year-old.

I think he's achieved the highest level of form in this race and while his main dangers have had the benefit of a fairly recent run I doubt he will be left too far short of peak fitness at most today. There is a slight worry that he might not be able to get any cover from stall 13 but he showed last season that he can settle well enough without it and any 2/1 or bigger appeals.