Sunday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data including an 11/2 improver at Navan

• Shafdar was a big eye-catcher at Kempton

• Banter At The Bar has more to offer over fences

• The Craftymaster can snap lengthy losing sequence

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Chelmsford, 14:07 - 'Horse In Focus' Shafdar can build on recent promise

Shafdar posted an encouraging effort when third at Kempton 11 days ago on his first start for Ian Williams, earning the Horse In Focus Flag from Timeform's reporter to mark him out as one likely to be of firm interest next time. 

Shafdar was held up in a race run at a steady gallop and was short of room two furlongs out, but he kept on powerfully when in the clear and made good late headway into third.

The visual impression was backed up by the sectionals, which show that he can have that effort upgraded (he has Timeform's Sectional Timing Flag), and he can build on that promise.

Navan, 16:20 - Improving Banter At The Bar can strike on handicap debut

Banter At The Bar made no impact in a trio of maiden hurdles but proved a different proposition on his chasing debut at Punchestown where he ran out a decisive winner by five lengths.

It perhaps shouldn't be a big surprise that Banter At The Bar proved well suited by the switch to fences as he had won his only start in points and is out of the very smart mare J'y Vole who was a Grade 1-winning chaser.

That background offers encouragement that he should have more to offer over fences and that likelihood of improvement is highlighted by the Timeform 'small p'. He can prove better than his opening handicap mark.

Chelmsford, 16:37 - The Craftymaster can capitalise on reduced mark

The Craftymaster enjoyed an excellent all-weather campaign during the winter of 2023/24, winning on seven occasions. 

He's not won since scoring at Newcastle in March 2024, but his mark has fallen significantly as a consequence and there have been signs of late that he might finally be in good enough form to capitalise. 

He was beaten less than a length and a half in third at Lingfield last time and did well to get so close having been held up last in a race run at just a steady gallop. That was still a fair way below the pick of his form from even last season, but it was a step in the right direction and he has the + symbol to show that he might be better than his current Timeform rating.

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