Lilandra – 4.16 Bath – 1 Mile Handicap – 33/1 William Hill, Sky, Bet365 (best priced 40/1) – 1 Point Each Way.
The five-year-old Lilandra hasn’t been the luckiest of horses since arriving from Ireland this time last year.
He has raced seven times and been drawn high and wide four times. When he has been drawn low, he has suffered from slow starts, and when he has been traveling well behind leaders, has either stumbled or had his run blocked on two occasions.
He has run at Bath twice and seems to act well here, but just hasn’t had the luck in running, and is due a break.
Lilandra show good juvenile form in Ireland postmarking 67 in his maidens over 6F, and then stepped up on those efforts to postmark 73, 74 & 75 over 7F, and looking like a step up to a mile would suit.
Unfortunately, he has been a little too keen on occasion to help his chances and his recent run of luck in the UK hasn’t helped, plus I think he had a niggle last season as he hung to his right a couple of times.
His recent seasonal debut, where he finished last, can easily be excused as he travelled well to halfway, before stumbling and pitching going round the bend. He was gathered up after losing valuable momentum and still made his effort two out only to have his ground taken and was sensibly eased.
He should come on for that run, and from a lowly mark of 50 and good claimer George Rooke offsetting 3lb his mark to 47. Bearing in mind he was off a peak in Ireland of 78, so he is very well handicapped.
Fingers crossed Lilandra can get the run of the race here and at juicy odds of 33/1 with