Bama Lama

Trained by Rod Millman out of a yard in Kentisbeare, Devon — a setup that has been busy this season, sending out 42 winners — Bama Lama has been a reliable, if unspectacular, performer at the lower end of the sport. The vast majority of its races have come at Class 6 level, the entry-level tier of British racing, where it has won 5 from 49. That tells you this is a horse operating near the bottom of the ladder, not because it has fallen from a greater height, but because that is simply its level. And at that level, over a long career, it has carved out a modest but honest record.

The partnership with jockey Oliver Searle is worth noting. In 29 races together, they have won 4 times — a win rate of around 14%, or roughly 1 in every 7 races. That is noticeably better than Bama Lama's overall average, which suggests Searle knows how to get the best out of this horse. Ground conditions matter too: on slightly soft ground, Bama Lama has won 2 from 6, a conversion rate of 33%, or roughly 1 in 3. That is a striking number for a horse that typically wins 1 in 11.

The current form, however, is harder to spin positively. Six races without a win, finishing sixth in five of them, and the last victory came at Windsor back in October 2024 — now 21 months ago. For context, Bama Lama raced 55 times to win just 5, so lean spells are nothing new. But at eight years old, with recent finishes suggesting it is finding things tough, the question of whether that Windsor magic can be conjured one more time is a real one. It raced just yesterday, which at least tells you the legs are still willing. Whether the wins are, remains to be seen.