Lucky 15 Tips: Team Skelton hungry in Huntingdon on Thursday

We were among the winners again yesterday at Ludlow, and for Thursday's Lucky 15 tips we'll take in another smashing midweek-ish jumps gathering this time at Huntingdon, and their seven-race card that kicks in at 12:50.

Skelton, Cobden and Sheehan are among the very top jocks in action, and a cracking afternoon's sport looks assured.

Horse Racing odds

12:50 - Little Pi @ 5/4

Conditional jocks go just short of 2m 4f in this Class 5 handicap hurdle.

The selection is an eight-year-old French-bred gelding by a Melbourne Cup winner, and he's trained in Shropshire by Sam Allwood.  Little Pi is in a rich vein of form right now, including here last time, 45 days ago.

He finished just a neck adrift of the winner, a Skelton inmate that's scored again since. Good form then, and it's not escaped the attention of the assessor, raising him 5lb for that narrow reverse.

It was a career-best last time and the up-and-coming Toby McCain-Mitchell has the riding assignment. Any repeat of recent levels must see him hard to beat here.

14:35 - Lunar Orbit @ 10/3

A Class 4, 2m handicap hurdle.

Our pick is a four-year-old Sea The Moon gelding and he lines up off the back of a win last time, 63 days ago, at Market Rasen. That was after a wind procedure a couple of months earlier, and he's only up 2lb for what was a narrow success.

It was achieved in juvenile company, and Lunar Orbit had the inestimable benefit of a certain Sean Bowen in the saddle. Paul O'Brien takes over this afternoon for trainer Warren Greatrex, and it's important to note that this is now a foray into novice handicap company.

His present mark is 108, nudged up 2lb for that last effort in non-handicap ranks as he did have a rating beforehand, having had three such tests. Lunar Orbit was/is very respectable on the flat despite having no wins (two close seconds last summer, at Sandown and Kempton), and he might just be up to taking this.

15:10 - Sinnatra @ 7/4

A Listed heat now, a 2m 3.5f novices' hurdle, worth a cracking £22k to the winner.

My selection is an inmate from a yard that know exactly how to snaffle these excellent midweek prizes, namely Dan Skelton's, motoring along at a 27% strike-rate before racing commences on Thursday.

Sinnatra is a six-year-old Walk In The Park gelding who enjoyed a bloodless 55l win in a Sandown maiden 33 days ago. That was after two terrific placed efforts at Newbury no less in novice events, and on official marks in this Listed company is very closely matched with Nicky Henderson's Act Of Innocence; but has a nice cushion in hand of everything else.

Super race - in Team Skelton I trust.

15:43 - Delta Blues Belle @ 13/8

Well, would you believe it - we're with the brothers once again in this mares' staying handicap hurdle.

Our hope is Delta Blues Belle, a six-year-old Walk In The Park gelding - what a prolific National Hunt sire that Epsom Derby runner-up is proving to be.

She won her point at the third time of asking in November 2004, and has since had two big breaks of around 180 days apiece, and also managed four runs in novice company.

The latest was on New Year's Day, and she looked not to handle Windsor's unique contours on handicap debut. She's been dropped 3lb as a result of that disappointment and hailing from such a powerful yard she's almost bound to show her true promise at some point; hopefully on Thursday afternoon!

If all four of our selections won, today's notional 50p win Lucky 15, at the prices indicated (they can of course fluctuate), would return around £117 for a £7.50 total stake. If you can improve upon my selections (of course you can) - then go for it!

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