Today’s Horse Racing Tip – 2:45 Sedgefield 22-02-18

Today’s horse racing tip runs in the Williams Sisters Novices Hurdle at 2:45 Sedgefield, this two mile one furlong event is a qualifier for the Betfred Hurdle Series at the North East track.

Micky Hammond saddles front running Bulkov in this 11 runner novice’s event and following two games seconds, is tipped to find the winners enclosure today.

The six-year-old won nicely over course and distance in November when finishing 12 lengths clear of the field. The gedling was penalised 5lb for the win and struggled to make an impact on his next outing at Wetherby.

However he ran much better on his return to Sedgefield, when just run out of it after hitting the last fence. He put in another bold show when runner up Ayr three weeks ago and looks ready to take the top prize here.

The main danger is market rival Bal De Rio, a useful performer on the flat in France, who has been placed in all four starts over hurdles. He wasn’t too fluent over these hurdles on his latest outing in December and trainer Brian Ellison fits the five-year-old with headgear for the first time. This will be his third attempt to find Sedgefield’s winners enclosure, going down by a neck over the two and a half mile trip on good ground last May and December’s four and a half length defeat when runner up over the same trip last time.

Oliver Greenall’s Titan deserves respect on the strength of his second at Wetherby last time out. That was a much improved performance in heavy ground but the four-year-old isn’t certain to repeat that run in easier conditions today. The gelding joined Greenall’s yard in November and was pulled up on his seasonal bow later that month. He was well beaten in a juvenile hurdle at Newbury next time out before the eye-catching run at Wetherby.

There’s not a lot else in the race to threaten today’s horse racing tip although Lucky Lucarno and Phantom Isle are worth keeping an eye on. Both make their debut over hurdles, they have shown glimpses of promise in bumpers and could be worth following in future races. Phantom Isle will be familiar with the surroundings having finished second in a bumper here in May.

Today’s forecast at Sedgefield is cloudy with a 5% chance of rain this afternoon and going on the hurdle course is soft.

Front running Bulkov was set to give weight to market rival Bal De Rio but Becky Smith’s 7lb claim will leave them competing off the same weight. The form of Hammond’s horse, here and at Ayr more recently, looks to be the strongest and sways the vote in favour of Bulkov.