Thursday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data including a clear top-rated horse at Newmarket

13:50, Newmarket - Sovereign Spell clear top on Timeform ratings

Despite a large field of three-year-old sprinters in Newmarket's opening handicap, this could prove less competitive than the numbers suggest. Towards the foot of the weights, Amo Racing colt Sovereign Spell, trained by Kevin Philippart de Foy, looks thrown in from a BHA mark of 85, coming out fully 9 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.

Like last year's winner Double Rush who was also a blot on the handicap, Sovereign Spell made all to land the odds by a wide margin in the same maiden at Wolverhampton on his previous start, in his case by five and a half lengths. That race might have lacked depth, but the fourth horse Royal Poetry won back at Wolverhampton last week and the handicapper looks to have taken a chance by leaving Sovereign Spell's mark unchanged.

Sovereign Spell had been tried in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot last year and was first past the post in a novice at Windsor later in the summer on his first start for his current yard but was later disqualified on a technicality. A progressive sort, he looks very well treated for his return to handicap company.

15:00 Newmarket - Ryan Moore booked for top-rated Time For Sandals

The Abernant Stakes looks a competitive renewal of the first Group race of the year for sprinters, several of whom will no doubt be turning up in some of the best races in this division later in the season. Among them is the only filly in the line-up, Time For Sandals, trained locally by Harry Eustace, who is already a winner at the highest level.

She progressed well last year, pulling off a 25/1-win in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot where she travelled powerfully and responded well for a neck win over the subsequent Flying Five Stakes winner Arizona Blaze while pulling well clear of the rest on her side of the track.

Time For Sandals then ran well under a penalty back at five furlongs when a close third to JM Jungle in the King George Stakes at Goodwood and shaped better than the distance beaten suggests in the Sprint Cup at Haydock on her final start last year when forced to challenge widest of all. Partnered for the first time by Ryan Moore, Time For Sandals is a couple of pounds clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and can get her four-year-old campaign off to a winning start.

15:35 Newmarket - Conditions will suit improver Hankelow

All bar one of the seven colts in the Craven Stakes hold an entry in the 2000 Guineas, and unusually for this race they include a high-profile Aidan O'Brien representative Hawk Mountain. However, he's a shorter price for the Derby than he is for the 2000 Guineas and given his win on heavy ground in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on his final start last year, there are doubts about whether a mile on good ground will be a sufficient test of stamina for him this season.

He looks worth taking on, therefore, and preference is for Hankelow, a strong, lengthy son of Night of Thunder who went very close to being unbeaten in three runs at two for Karl Burke, suffering his only defeat when beaten a nose by Avicenna, who he meets again here, in the listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster.

Hankelow then made all under a good ride from Clifford Lee to win the Autumn Stakes over the Craven course and distance when stepping up to a mile, and with further improvement to come, he can get the better of the Ballydoyle challenger.

Now read more racing tips