Lanham is happy to lose the No.1 race jacket as Somerset come to town

LEIGH Lanham will be more than happy if the new averages see him lose the No.1 race jacket.

Lanham, who top-scored for the Witches at Newcastle on Sunday, but managed only three points at Somerset on Tuesday, has endured a topsy-turvey time leading the team out in race one.

However, while some riders are desperate to be No.1, Lanham isn’t!

“Quite honestly, I’ll be more than happy if the new averages put me back at three or five,” he said last night.

“I’m not comfortable being at No.1 and I seem to start each Foxhall meeting stuck out in gate four.

“At Newport last season, this is what happened to me until Jason Doyle joined and I moved to numbers three and five. I never looked back.

“I told Chris (Louis) when I joined if I have to be No.1 because the rules say so, then fine, but I’d rather not be.”

Lanham is recovering from a fall suffered at Somerset after his throttle twisted round and he couldn’t “get the gas on”.

“It’s unlike me to fall, but it was just one of those things. I’m sore, but OK,” Lanham added.

Tonight’s visitors to Foxhall are Somerset once more, this time in the first leg of the KO Cup. Sam Masters is named in the Somerset line-up, although a muscle injury is likely to rule him out. The Witches will want to build up a good lead for the return next Friday. The new averages come into effect soon, with Kevin Doolan and Rohan Tungate vying for the No.1 position.

Meanwhile Dakota North has been drawn in the Italian world U-21 semi-final, to be staged on Saturday, June 2.