Friday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data including an improving Horse In Focus

• Sortudo looks smart

• McLaurey looks very well treated

• Thriving Tonal can win again

13:43, Naas - Sortudo ready for step up in grade

Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott tend to dominate the Grade 1 Ballymore Novice Hurdle and both are well represented once more in this latest renewal.

The one who makes appeal on Timeform ratings and the prices is Sortudo, who reached a smart level of form in bumpers, winning twice in that sphere, a highlight being when beating I'll Sort That in a good event at Fairyhouse on his final start last season.

He looked well above average when making a winning start over hurdles at Cork, too, backed as if defeat was out of the question on his return from seven months off sporting a first-time hood.

Mullins has used that maiden as a stepping stone for plenty of smart types in the past and Sortudo looked another one off the conveyor belt, stretching right away from one who also had smart form in bumpers.

He has the potential to take high rank amongst this season's novice hurdlers and he has achieved more in form terms than favourite and stablemate Saint Baco, while he'll relish this step up in trip. 

15:45, Naas - McLaurey well placed to open his account over fences

McLaurey ran with promise behind some smart types on his first two starts over hurdles last season and he didn't need to improve to open his account in that sphere at the third attempt at Limerick.

That may not have been the deepest race, but he was much improved when following up in a big-field handicap at Leopardstown next time, justifying strong support and value for more than the length winning margin.

He was fancied for the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on his final start last season and, though he found that more cut-throat environment too much off a vastly higher BHA mark than he won off at Leopardstown, he has shaped with plenty of promise in a couple of starts over fences this season - he has the Horse In Focus Flag as a result.

Indeed, he could hardly have caught the eye in a bigger way, given a considerate ride on both occasions, while leaving the impression neither of those runs got to the bottom of him. McLaurey now makes his handicap debut over fences from what looks a lenient mark and he has been typically well placed by his shrewd handler up against more exposed opposition.

20:30, Wolverhampton - Tonal poised to strike again under a penalty

The Ian Williams-trained Tonal is moving up both the weights and in class, but you'd be hard pressed to say he can't win again given the vein of form he arrives in.

He had fallen back down the weights following some lesser efforts on turf, but he bounced right back to form when resuming winning ways in style over a mile at Chelmsford in October, readily moving seven and a half lengths clear.

Tonal was wisely turned out under a penalty and followed up at Southwell eight days later, but he suffered a wide trip when finding only another thriving type too strong at Kempton next time.

He proved that to be the case by winning his last two starts, the latest of those coming at this course over an extended mile, and that looks very strong form for the grade.

Tonal is in deeper waters now contesting a 0-85 handicap for the first time in his career, but he looks ahead of his mark turned out under a 5lb penalty, and this past course and distance winner looks one to keep on side, as his Horse In Focus Flag suggests.

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