Lilian Bland wins finale for owner/trainer Hennessy Lilian Bland (9/2) registered a second career success at Navan today, landing the concluding NavanRacecourse.ie Mares Handicap Chase for owner/trainer Niall Hennessy and jockey Richie Deegan. Previously successful in a Thurles handicap chase last March, nine-year-old mare Lilian Bland improved to lead at the third-last in today’s race, and finished well to defeat top weight Enjoy The Dream by six lengths. Cappoquin, Co Waterford-based Hennessy later reported “she's not winning out of turn and has been to every rodeo this year. Over hurdles, she always seems to bump into a wicked well-handicapped one. "We saw this race coming up a few months ago and when the handicapper dropped her 1lb, she was in on rock-bottom and I said 'lovely’! "She is not the easiest to ride and can be wicked keen but he (Deegan) is the most underrated rider in the country.” “She is fierce well-bred, is a half-sister to an American Grand National winner (Noah And The Ark) and a sister bred Tripoli Flyer who won a Grade 2 the other day.” He added “there's a handicap chase in Thurles that she won last year in two weeks time and I would imagine that is where we will go. "I'd only have two in, one for the track and one for point-to-pointing." Quotes from Michael Graham
