Monday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data you need to know to start the week

• Clear chance for Wolf Moon to open account

• Longer trip to suit Tommy Combats

• Thriving Overnight Oats can strike again

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Wolf Moon a Horse In Focus after Huntingdon promise

Much of the attention in a maiden hurdle at Huntingdon last month was focused on Nicky Henderson's hurdling debutant Palladium, last year's German Derby winner who had since changed hands for a seven-figure sum. Palladium duly made a winning debut over hurdles but not before Wolf Moon, making his own hurdling debut, gave him a brief scare.

Sent off at 50/1 having been well held in his only point, Wolf Moon did well to get close to the winner having still had plenty to do four out. But making smooth headway from the next, he threatened two out and then ran on to finish two lengths second while pulling well clear of the rest, earning Timeform's Horse In Focus Flag to mark him out as one likely to be of interest next time.

The rangy Wolf Moon looks very much a chaser in the longer term but with improvement to come - as denoted by the Timeform 'small p' - can win races over hurdles first with his trainer Ben Pauling in good form. The well-held fourth from the Huntingdon race has won an ordinary contest since at Southwell and Wolf Moon looks capable of following suit in the maiden hurdle (15:05) where he is 4 lb top on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.

Tommy Combats can improve again over suitable test

Martin Todhunter's Tommy Combats went the right way over hurdles last term without managing to get his head in front and has continued that progress over fences this term. He survived a bad mistake on his chasing debut at Carlisle and duly built on that when getting off the mark on his next start in a handicap at Hexham when staying on to beat Celestial Fashion by a length.

Although beaten at short odds at Ayr last time, Tommy Combats improved again on Timeform's figures but couldn't concede lumps of weight to speedier winner Orbys River at that less demanding track. That effort earned him Timeform's Horse In Focus Flag with a view to how he might fare stepping back up in trip, while he also retained the 'p' for potential improver.

Tommy Combats steps up to beyond two miles for the first time over fences in Carlisle's 16:30 contest and that seems sure to suit. He is already proven at around two and a half miles over hurdles, having run his best race at that trip on his final start last term when chasing home the progressive Plaisir des Flos at the Perth Festival, and he looks capable of resuming winning ways.

Overnight Oats the ratings choice

Overnight Oats has really thrived since joining James Owen's stable last summer and late in 2024 he ran up a four-timer on the all-weather, with three of those wins coming at Wolverhampton.

The handicapper evidently hasn't caught up with him yet, though, as he returns to the same track looking to make it win number three already this year in a contest over the extended mile (17:00).

His two wins this year have both come at Southwell with his latest success coming as recently as last Friday. That was in an apprentice race where Overnight Oats was suited by the strong pace. In rear after a slow start, he swept through to lead inside the last half-furlong and won going away by two lengths from Hartswood.

Turned out again quickly, Overnight Oats looks sure to make another bold bid from just a pound higher mark which places him top on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 2 lb.

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