Horse Racing Tips: Rhys Williams' NAP is a soft ground-loving filly at Yarmouth

Return to soft ground to suit

Yarmouth 15:38: Urban Violet 1pt win 13/2

Urban Violet only beat two rivals on her first start of the season at Hamilton a month ago but she didn't shape too badly and a return to soft ground could see her return to the level she showed last season.

At Hamilton, she raced a bit further forward than midfield through the first half of the race and was still travelling well three furlongs out. However, she couldn't get a clear run when she needed one and dropped away in the last half furlong to finish thirteenth.

Her form dropped off at the end of last season but she ran respectably in defeat off marks in the low-mid 80s on many occasions with cut in the ground prior to that having bolted up on her seasonal debut at Sandown off 77, 2lb higher than she races off today. In that race, she was last early on before being switched to the inside and pushed along to race more prominently.

She was squeezed up and lost her position leaving the back straight but she was still travelling strongly turning into the home straight and after getting upsides the leaders with just over two furlongs to go, gradually went further and further clear and won by 8½ lengths.

Urban Violet was also a winner on heavy ground as a two-year-old so any further rain wouldn't be a concern. She made all that day and while they've used a variety of tactics since, I think riding her to track the leaders may suit as there's not too much early speed.

It may be that she's just inconsistent and the return to soft ground won't bring an upturn in her form but she's one who could relish conditions in a race where that may not be the case for too many others and any 6/1 or bigger appeals.