Tilani

The key to understanding Tilani is the distance. At a mile and one furlong to a mile and two furlongs, this horse has won 3 of its 9 races — that is 1 in every 3 races at that trip, a significantly better return than its overall record suggests. Finding the right distance for a racehorse is half the battle, and Tilani's record strongly suggests that bracket is the sweet spot. Run it over too short or too long, and you are likely leaving performance on the table.

Recent form has been sharp. In the last six races, Tilani has finished 8th, 2nd, 1st, 1st, 6th, and 8th — reading those in reverse order, that is a pair of wins back-to-back in the middle of the sequence, which is the kind of form that catches trainers' eyes. The first career win came at Galway in August 2025, and the most recent was at Great Yarmouth just six weeks ago in May 2026, so this horse is currently active and in decent nick.

The partnership with jockey Chris Hayes is worth noting. Together they have won 1 of their 5 races — 20%, or 1 in 5 — which actually outpaces Tilani's overall win rate slightly, suggesting Hayes has a decent feel for this horse. That kind of relationship between horse and rider can matter more than people realise.

Behind all of this is trainer Ian Williams, based at Portway in Worcestershire. His yard has sent out 96 winners already this season, which is a remarkable volume — that is not a quiet backwater operation but one of the most productive strings in the country right now. When a yard is firing at that rate, the horses in it tend to be well-placed and well-prepared. Tilani looks like one of those horses that has found its level and knows exactly what it is doing at a mile to a mile and a quarter.