Lucky 15 Tips: Some nice chances at Sedgefield on Thursday

We're nicely among the winners this week and our next port of call for our Lucky 15 tips will be Sedgefield on Thursday, for their six-race card that kicks in at 12:50.

Former champion Brian Hughes has a good-looking book of rides and could well feature among our selections - kindly read on!

Horse Racing Odds

Fast Racing Results

13:24 - Lunar Orbit @ 11/8

Part of a series of juvenile hurdles celebrating the stellar career of dual Champion Hurdler Night Nurse, who by any metric is up there with the best the sport has ever seen in that particular discipline.

Our selection Lunar Orbit is a three-year-old Sea The Moon gelding, trained by Warren Greatrex and ridden by the excellent James Bowen, brother of Sean.

This 80-rated handicapper on the flat has had three spins over timber, two of which were very respectable indeed at around this 2m 1f trip. The yard are among the winners of late and he appeals as one with a rock-solid chance of nabbing career win number one in County Durham on Thursday.

14:34 - Blue Topaz @ 9/4

We're siding with James again here, and Fergal O'Brien's five-year-old mare Blue Topaz.

Interesting, rather interrupted career so far - four points, the last of which was successful (April this year); transferred then to Fergal's in July, and soon participated in a Uttoxeter bumper (beaten less than 5l; promising).

A wind op followed in August, and 25 days ago she ran here at Sedgefield in another bumper open to both sexes, and dotted up by over 4l. Debuts over hurdles this afternoon, evidently has a nice engine, and appeals as the likely winner in my book.

15:09 - Ballylinch @ 7/2

Middleham trainer Micky Hammond saddles eight-year-old gelding Ballylinch, a winner here over these fences and looking to recapture old glories after running just once, 25 days ago on this very track, since May 2024.

He runs off 91 today and I'm hoping that last spin, which must have been badly needed, will enable him to be competitive this afternoon. It's a bit of a leap of faith but he's no back number age-wise and the trainer is a shrewd veteran who's been having winners here for a very long time.

Conor O'Farrell is on top.

15:40 - Lillistar @ 7/2

Had to go with a Brian Hughes horse in the end, and Lillistar is another trained by the aforementioned Mr Hammond.

Brian was Ballylinch's usual pilot it's fair to say and the fact that he's not once again doing the steering on that one is disappointing, but hey. This five-year-old Zoustar mare is a versatile type, taking in flat action on turf and the all-weather, plus these hurdles contests.

She ran 13 days ago at Wetherby and finished third of 12, beaten 4.75l, after earlier in October advertising her well-being with a success at Wolves on the level over just in excess of 2m.

She's gone well here before and races off the same mark, 83, as Wetherby. Brian rode her then and I'm glad to see him maintain the partnership. Nice little heat with which to close our 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 £216 for a £7.50 total stake.

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Lucky 15 tips from Betfred Insights.