Thursday Racing Tips: Take a chance on Skelton runner at Warwick

We have another busy day of racing action on Thursday, with six meetings taking place across Britain and Ireland despite the cancellation of Tipperary. Warwick, Perth and Beverley provide the afternoon meetings, while Huntingdon, Wexford and Chelmsford take us through the evening.

Read on for our Thursday racing tips where, among our stronger fancies on the day, is one for Dan Skelton at Warwick, who is open to plenty of improvement in handicap company.

15:55 Beverley - Sea The Dream @ 7/4

Beverley’s feature race is a fascinating three-year-old handicap over 7½f and Ed Bethell’s SEA THE DREAM looks the one to side with.

In his six starts, the son of Sea The Moon has failed to finish outside of the first three just once, which gives him an admirably consistent record. He came close to getting off the mark over 7f at Haydock in July and all his best form has come with cut in the ground.

He scored by a length on his return in a handicap at Thirsk this month and the handicapper has responded with a 2lb rise. There should be plenty more to come and it could be a while before the handicapper catches up with him.

Whilst the ground was heavy at Thirsk, the soft ground here should be similarly suitable and we expect him to follow up despite the step up in class.

16:10 Perth - Cepage @ 12/1

Venetia Williams’ CEPAGE has had a patchy season and been pulled up in three of his last four starts. While those form figures are not ideal, they have resulted in his handicap mark being dropped quite quickly.

His last win came in a veterans’ chase at Cheltenham in December and that was his most recent start at around 2m4f. The drop back in trip here is a big positive and he looks to be off a competitive mark.

It’s been a productive season for Williams and the Herefordshire-based trainer sits sixth in the British jumps trainers’ championship with almost £1.5m in prize money. The yard’s recent form is a slight concern but this horse looks capable of ending the losing streak.

16:20 Warwick - Take No Chances @ 5/2

This is a competitive-looking 0-140 handicap hurdle and the £20k prize pot certainly isn’t insignificant. Local trainer Dan Skelton will be looking to add to his tally of nine winners here this season and TAKE NO CHANCES could be the one to do it.

The daughter of Milan won the second of her two Irish points and was a fair bumper horse, despite failing to get off the mark in that sphere. It didn’t take her long to get up and running over hurdles and she got her head in front at the first time of asking in a Huntingdon mares’ novice race.

Denied by the narrowest of margins in a handicap hurdle at Newbury last time, she’s entitled to continue improving in handicap company despite a 4lb higher mark. She is actually 1lb well in here following a recent form boost.

The ground is clearly important to her and the official going description here is good, which will definitely be to her liking. It would be a big surprise if she’s not bang in the mix and her trainer would surely welcome the first-place prize money in his title bid.

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights