Thursday Lucky 15 Tips: Sole Varian raider looks primed

No glorious tales from yesterday so it's onwards and upwards for Thursday, Feb 1st. A new month, and one closer to Cheltenham. And spring. The National. The Dante. Bring it all on please, as quickly as you like!

Wincanton and Ffos Las provide the jumping today while there's all-weather Polytrack action from Chelmsford this evening under the lights.

Time to start dreaming about the evening stuff in a few months that won't need contrived illumination assistance - those Windsor Mondays, and Music Night weekends; Tom Jones/Madness/Kaiser Chiefs, coming to a racecourse near you and all that jazz. Lovely.

Let's go to Essex then for Thursday's Lucky 15 suggestion. Not too many runners, but highly competitive-looking fare nevertheless. If you're playing, the very best of luck, as always.

This is an example of how to put together a Lucky 15 - if you can improve upon my selections (of course you can), then go for it!

The odds can fluctuate between publishing our pieces and race-time. As a guide, a £0.50p win Lucky 15 on today's selections, at the prices, and assuming all four won, would return around £373 for your total £7.50 stake.

Popular legend confirms that Fred, 'The Bonus King,' invented the 'Lucky' series of bets and their bonuses. Want the lowdown - all the ins and outs? My colleague Adam has set out all you need to know with this handy guide - take a look by clicking here.

18.30 - Gaiden @ 9/4

Golden connections here - a 3-yr-old Mehmas filly owned/trained by Richard Hannon, with Rossa Ryan doing the steering.

She's the only one in this novice stakes contest with a handicap mark (80) and for me clearly sets the standard. Several unexposed rivals could take considerable steps forward, and this won't be easy.

However, she's been very highly tried so far, including outings at tracks like York, Goodwood and Ascot. I can see her deservedly getting off the mark tonight, building upon a good second in a Kempton maiden around a fortnight ago. Gets a touch further than this 6f which will only help her cause here. Huge chance.

19.00 - Admirable Lad @ 10/3

An experienced, in-form gelding looking to follow-up a recent 5f Kempton success for Suffolk trainer Chelsea Banham.

Runs over 6f tonight but has tried the trip on many previous occasions. Last time represented an upsurge in fortunes, and he must defy a 4lb hike tonight. Jockey Joey Haynes knows the horse exceptionally well and the pair have won off higher marks in the past.

It's a tricky basement affair but he's won here previously, is in-form, and I'm hopeful.

20.00 - Inspiritus @ 4/1

The sole raider on the card for the top yard of Roger Varian, and jockey Kyle Strydom's only booked mount, too.

Inspiritus won a similar event at Wolves under this rider a month ago and bids to go in again off a 4lb higher mark. There's not usually much joy to be had in supporting penalised handicap runners but I'm making exceptions tonight.

That last run represented a massive leap forward for the 4-yr-old Sea The Stars gelding who scored comfortably, raised in trip, on handicap debut. He gets another half-furlong tonight (1m 2f) and given what his illustrious sire achieved at ten and twelve furlongs it looks sure to be of benefit.

20.30 - Glencalvie @ 7/2

Back to the path of least resistance - and the brilliant Rossa Ryan.

He rides Glencalvie for trainer Phil McEntee for the first time since the Gleneagles' filly's racecourse debut back in Nov '22, when handled by Ralph Beckett. She's been with Phil since July and gets a little drop in class tonight too.

The 4-yr-old has run off a mark as high as 74 in the past and has slipped to a dangerous-looking 60 now. Connections, like me, are doubtless hoping Rossa can provide the spark that enables her to belatedly trouble the judge for the first time.

Lucky 15 tips from Betfred Insights.