Lucky 15 Tips: The big dogs are barking at ‘Rasen on Thursday

Excellent Thursday afternoon jumping is to be found at Market Rasen on Thursday, and with the likes of Harry Skelton and Sean Bowen in attendance that's the venue for our Lucky 15 tips beautifully sorted.

Seven races, with the action kicking in at 12:20.

Horse Racing Odds

Fast Racing Results

12:20 - Uhtred Ragnarson @ 11/8

A conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle is first up, over just in excess of the minimum 2m.

Our selection is from the Alan King yard in Wiltshire - Uhtred Ragnarson. Wonderfully named, this four-year-old Holy Roman Emperor gelding has had seven runs and recorded one victory, conveniently enough when last seen 30 days ago at Warwick.

That was a comfortable 4.5l win off a mark of 100, in a Class 5 - he steps up today to Class 4, and must defy a 7lb hike. Claimer Phil Armson offsets that penalty by virtue of his 3lb, and Kingy has had three winners in the last couple of weeks from 22 starters.

Hardly prolific, but an indicator that the yard is firing ok. The manner of that last performance augurs well too, and we think he's got a bit left up his sleeve for this afternoon's assignment.

12:50 - Lunar Orbit @ 7/4

I backed this one the other day (end of October in fact) at Fontwell and under today's pilot Sean Bowen he ran well to be beaten 5.5l, running on late without threatening.

Three-year-old Sea The Moon gelding Lunar Orbit has subsequently had wind surgery, and is reunited this afternoon with Sean in a similar two-miles-and-change juvenile hurdle.

He's housed at Warren Greatrex's yard (Upper Lambourn), and after ten spins, jumps and flat, is still searching for that elusive first success. The fact that Sean is once again engaged is a big plus, and if the wind procedure adds a little to his finishing capability then I'm very keen on his chances under the champ.

Fontwell is a tight, twisty test and there will be much more relatively straight-line galloping here, which could suit. He was rated 80 on the flat and with this being hurdles race number four he's entitled to come on as he extends his exposure to the winter game.

13:50 - Seahouses @ 5/2

Here's another old favourite of the column, as we tipped him up to win here three weeks ago off a mark of 87 in a similar staying contest over hurdles.

Seahouses was game and gutsy on that occasion, prevailing by 6.5l under today's 7lb claimer Isabelle Ryder. The five-year-old, another by German Derby winner Sea The Moon, goes particularly well here and must shoulder a 7lb penalty for that last success, putting him up to 94 this afternoon.

Won't be easy but Isabelle gets along famously with him and last time was a career-best. Barry Brennan trains - another based in Upper Lambourn.

14:20 - Ithaka @ 7/4

Sean Bowen has a couple of booked rides on the card for Ross-on Wye trainer Ryan Potter. This one looks to be his best chance in my view.

Ithaka is an experienced staying hurdler trying chasing once again after just one spin over the larger obstacles back in April 2023. The horse has won three hurdle races, including here, from 25 starts over timber, and was rated 105 in that discipline.

The nine-year-old gelding travels 3m in this handicap chase and I doubt Sean would be tempted to join in if there were too many doubts about the viability of the undertaking this afternoon.

It's not a great contest and much will, of course, depend on the jumping. He's being asked to give lumps of weight to his three rivals and overcome an absence, on seasonal reappearance, of 263 days.

Call me daft, but unless I was pretty sure I had my horse in the right kind of condition to do himself justice and more I'm not sure I'd be reaching out to the champion jockey - nor would he be as likely, arguably, to say yes. I'm hoping there's a positive angle there.

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 £106 for a £7.50 total stake.

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Lucky 15 Tips from Betfred Insights.