WHITE LAVENDER looks good for a repeat victory in the Listed Whitsbury Manor Stud/British EBF Lansdown Stakes (6.25) at Bath on Friday evening.
The five-year-old daughter of Heeraat was having her first start for Karl Burke – she was previously a one-time winner from seven attempts in Ireland for Joseph Murphy – when sent off a 12-1 shot in this race 12 months ago.
But she laughed in the face of those odds under jockey Clifford Lee, beating Hellomydarlin by a length and a half.
Although she didn’t add to that tally during the remainder of the season – White Lavender therefore has no penalty to carry – my selection ran some fine races at Group level in France on her final three starts of 2022.
After a third in a Group 2 sprint at Chantilly in June, White Lavender ran fourth in a Group 3 at Longchamp 14 weeks later before putting up a personal best with a short-neck defeat by The Platinum Queen in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp in October.
Best with give in the ground and at the top of her game when fresh, White Lavender gets the Nap vote for another successful return to the fray.
Ayr’s Scottish Grand National fixture gets underway and SHELIKESTHELIGHTS can rack up a hat-trick in the opening Remus Uomo Handicap Hurdle (1.15).
Friday's tips
AYR
1.15 SHELIKESTHELIGHTS (NB)
1.50 YOUNG BUSTER
2.25 HOURVARI
3.00 RICHMOND LAKE
3.35 GREAT SNOW
4.10 SNOWY CLOUDS
4.45 LEPASHE
NEWBURY
1.30 DAPPER VALLEY
2.05 MARSHAL DAN
2.40 SHIVA SHAKTI
3.15 RAJASTHAN
3.50 VINO VICTRIX
4.25 TAFREEJ
4.55 GENTLE LIGHT
5.30 HEARTBREAKING
FONTWELL PARK
1.40 KANSAS DU BERLAIS
2.15 MICKYH
2.50 HUDSON DE GRUGY
3.20 MULLINAREE
3.55 DEAR RALPHY
4.30 GO FOX
5.05 SECRET SQUIRREL
BATH
4.40 TIBBIE DUNBAR
5.20 JAX EDGE
5.55 HEED THE CALL
6.25 WHITE LAVENDER (NAP)
6.55 GLORY SKY
7.25 HAVANA GOLDRUSH
7.55 SOCIOLOGIST
EXETER
5.00 PURE THEATRE
5.35 CALLISTO’S KING
6.05 GABRIEL’S GETAWAY
6.35 ROGER RAREBIT
7.05 BEGIN THE LUCK
7.35 QUINTIN’S MAN
8.05 VISION DE MAINE
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