Sunday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data including a 2/1 top-rated Horse In Focus at Leopardstown

• Dedicated Hero can build on promise of chasing debut

• Ratings suggest Talk The Talk should be tough to beat

• Unexposed I Started A Joke takes the eye on handicap debut

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Musselburgh, 13:25 - Top-rated Dedicated Hero looks leniently treated

Dedicated Hero, a Grade 2-winning novice hurdler last season, made no impact in three starts in handicap hurdles this term but proved more competitive on his chasing debut at Ayr last time. 

Dedicated Hero found a talented rival who had already won over fences too strong, but, despite being short of room between the final two fences, he stuck to his task determinedly and improved upon the pick of his hurdles form. That effort earned him the Timeform 'Horse In Focus' Flag to mark him out as one likely to be of firm interest next time, while he also has the Timeform 'small p' to highlight he remains likely to improve after only one start over fences.

Dedicated Hero is of particular interest now switching to handicap chase company as he is able to run off his reduced hurdles mark. That leaves him looking potentially well treated and he heads Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings by 6 lb.

Leopardstown, 13:40 - Top-rated Talk The Talk sets clear standard

Talk The Talk coped well with the step up to Grade 1 company in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival and looked set to complete his hat-trick only to fall at the final flight having quickened up nicely into a narrow lead.

He may have fallen but Talk The Talk showed enough to suggest he's a smart novice hurdler and was awarded the Horse In Focus Flag from Timeform's reporter. Indeed, only Supreme favourite Old Park Star has achieved a higher rating in the division among those in Britain or Ireland this season.

Talk The Talk is up against some promising and unexposed rivals at Leopardstown - all bar one of his 11 opponents have the Timeform 'small p' or 'large P' - but he is 11 lb clear on weight-adjusted ratings and stands out as the one to beat.

Leopardstown, 15:52 - Improving I Started A Joke has more to offer

There may be 20 runners in this competitive two-mile handicap hurdle, but I Started A Joke is one of only two with the Timeform 'small p' (Kimi de Mai, who is well out of the weights, is the other). 

I Started A Joke showed useful form when winning on his bumper debut before coming up short in better-quality races, but he took a bit of time to get to grip with hurdling.

It took him four starts to get off the mark over hurdles, but he landed the odds in good style at Punchestown a few weeks ago, staying on well to score by eight and a half lengths. He remains likely to carry on progressing and goes handicapping from a fair-looking mark, narrowly heading Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings.

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