Today's Racing Tips: Leave it to Lihyan to launch assault on layers

• Menzies maestro can gain overdue win

• Roque could prove a stone well in

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Leopardstown, 14.45 - Back Kim Roque each-way @ 11/26.50

Being patiently ridden in the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham were not the ideal tactics as those ridden cold struggled to make any impact on the feature chase.

Kim Roque certainly fitted that criteria on his second start for new trainer Joseph O'Brien as rider Richie Deegan was keen to anchor his mount in rear before trying to deliver a challenge into a pace that was quickening throughout the final stages.

Front-runner Glengouly was the chief beneficiary of a dawdling pace that day, but I thought Kim Roque emerged with plenty of credit and a finishing speed percentage in excess of 106 per cent suggested the selection wasn't ideally placed given the overall tempo of the race.

There should be no lack of a gallop in this handicap and my only concern for O'Brien's six-year-old is a lack of experience in a sizeable field of largely experienced chasers.

However, he won a 15-runner chase around Dieppe in his past life and a mark of 128 looks very feasible for a horse having just the sixth chase start of his career.  

Musselburgh, 15.40 - Back Lihyan each-way @ 7/18.00

Rebecca Menzies began a big weekend in the north with a timely winner at Catterick on Friday and the likeable Lihyan could be worth supporting to gain some reward for a series of creditable efforts.

Pertemps qualifiers are always awkward to get a handle on with final qualification often the ultimate aim rather than immediate victory, but given Lihyan is rated 128 then connections must surely be hoping to win to assure his place in the final line-up at Cheltenham in March.

This race represents something of a home fixture for the eight-year-old who has produced some of his best performances at this venue, not least when finishing second to Welsh Charger in the two-and-a-half mile handicap 12 months ago.

He has also won over that trip, but stays three miles really well and the key to him is a patient ride and a strong galop to aim at.

Hopefully, the presence of Ahoy Senior, Bel Amigo and Anywhere will contribute to a genuine gallop and William Maggs can smuggle his mount into the race late on. With four places available on the Sportsbook, Lihyan looks a very fair each-way bet.  

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