Lir Speciale: the Racing TV syndicate horse returns today!

Racing TV syndicate horse Lir Speciale makes his anticipated return to action in the familiar RaceShare silks on Tuesday in the feature £30 In Free Bets With BetUK Handicap at Wolverhampton under rider Marco Ghiani for trainer Stuart Williams.

Off the track for four months since finishing sixth in Class 3 company at Thirsk in September, the lightly-raced six-year-old bids to improve on his 50 per cent win-and-place strike-rate on the all-weather and his strong record when fresh in the six-furlong contest, with the gelding set to run in a visor for the first time. 

In yesterday’s update sent to the thousands of Racing TV members involved with Lir Speciale, Williams said: “He’s very well in himself and ready to run.

“I’ve put the visor on him because I just think he’s getting a bit lazy – he’s never been a flash work horse at home and he might just possibly by holding a bit back for himself.

 “Stall 4 is a nice draw for him and while it’s possible that he might be a bit rusty first time against horses that are hard fit, I’m happy that he’s ready to go back to the track.” 

The Newmarket trainer is in good form, with three winners and six seconds from 18 runners since Boxing Day, with the stable’s latest runner Where’s Freddy winning at 11/4 at Wolverhampton on Monday. 

Williams’ runners in a first-time visor have returned a small profit (£3.25) since the start of 2020, with a 29 per cent win-and-place strike-rate across the yard’s 29 such contenders. The latest two qualifiers were Oakley Boy (1st, 9/4) at Lingfield last November and Southbank (2nd, 28/1) at Chelmsford in October.

Lir Speciale moved to Stuart Williams for the start of 2024 turf season with a view to a sprinting campaign and made an encouraging start over 5f at Newmarket in May when staying on well over what would be a minimum trip. 

A big price in a valuable handicap at Haydock next time, the ground was likely a bit too soft for him and similar comments apply to his next and third run for Racing TV members on an easy all-weather surface at Newcastle, when he additionally wasn’t ideally drawn and the stable’s runners weren’t perhaps in the rudest of form.

Lir Speciale hasn’t been seen to best effect on his last three runs and was a bit disappointing at Kempton Park on his penultimate start when compromising his chance early on from a decent draw, but he kept on well to decent effect and his optimal conditions will likely prove over seven furlongs on quick going. He is also 11lb lower in the handicap now since joining Williams.

Lir Speciale had some recent issues towards the end of last year and, after tweaks from the vet and chiropractor, Williams reported him “much happier” with the horse at the start of November and that “he’s moving as well as we’ve ever had him”.