Sunday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data for ITV Racing at Leopardstown and Musselburgh

• Queens Gamble bidding to emulate Washington 

• Festival clues in Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle 

• Pertemps Final in mind for Tony Martin ace 

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Derham stable star has Horse In Focus Flag

British raiding parties to the Dublin Racing Festival since its inception in 2018 have been few and far between, but they have had some success; the Sophie Leech-trained Madara was one of only three British runners at last year's meeting and emerged victorious. 

French recruit Madara was winning on his fourth start for the yard (having also won on his third), and one trainer hoping for a similar scenario will be Harry Derham, trainer of Queens Gamble who carries top-weight in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy And Maureen Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle at 12.40. 

Like Madara, Timeform 'Horse In Focus' Queens Gamble has already struck for her new yard - she won both starts last season - and she caught the eye of the Timeform race reporters when 1½ lengths second to Navajo Indy in the Gerry Feilden at Newbury on her reappearance in November. 

Seemingly saved for this assignment since, Queens Gamble is fancied to follow in the footsteps of the yard's most recent runner in Ireland; Washington was a well-backed winning favourite of a valuable listed handicap at Fairyhouse at the start of December. 

Horse In Focus Flag for choice of Paul Townend

Willie Mullins has dominated the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle like no other race, his rollcall of 11 winners including Il Etait Temps (2023) and Ballyburn (2024) who emulated former Closutton heroes such as Champagne Fever (2013), Vautour (2014) and Nichols Canyon (2015). 

Setting aside the speculation about where the winner will head to next (many of the 11 Mullins-trained winners have stepped up in trip rather than head to the Supreme), Sunday's race can go to clear favourite Kopek Des Bordes - the choice of Paul Townend - despite the fact that he's rated 5 lb lower by Timeform at this stage than Ballyburn.  

The highest Timeform master rating (139) in Sunday's race is held by Bleu De Vassey despite that horse being firmly put in his place by stablemate Romeo Coolio - Timeform's highest-rated novice hurdler this season on 150p - in the Future Champions Novices' Hurdle at Leopardstown last time. 

Kopek Des Bordes is exciting, but that label also applies to stablemates Kaid d'Authie, who won a strong-looking maiden at Leopardstown last time (by ½ a length from Koktail Divin), and Karniquet, whose run behind Romeo Coolio can be excused as he all but came down at the second flight. There's a feeling that the Punchestown Champion Bumper winner Redemption Day remains capable of much better, too. 

Unexposed Tony Martin charge also has Horse In Focus Flag

Away from Leopardstown, but sticking with an Irish trainer, Musselburgh's Pertemps Hurdle Series Qualifier at 3.00 looks a very interesting contest and Tony Martin is the man to focus on. 

Timeform 'Horse In Focus' Hamsiyann was very well backed ahead of his hurdling reappearance in November, the Chester Cup runner-up staying on well to win the Gerry Feilden at Cheltenham last time by 2½ lengths from Long Draw. 

The Timeform race reporter verdict? "he's sure to improve further and will be a serious player in top-end handicaps by the spring". 

Allotted the Timeform 'small p' for a horse that will likely improve on his next start, a 10 lb higher mark means Hamsiyann will likely need to progress again, but he is still feasibly treated on his classy Flat form and - for all backing horses to win these qualifying events can be a little risky at times (horses only need to finish in the first four to qualify) - it's worth noting that the lowest-rated runner in last year's Pertemps Final was rated 131; Hamsiyann still needs a hefty rise from the official handicapper, suggesting that another big performance is on the cards here. 

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