Sunday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data including a top-rated 5/1 shot at the Curragh

• British raider to take home valuable Curragh pot 

• C&D winner to follow up at Chepstow 

• Ascot eighth expected to be much wiser today 

• Click here for more horse racing betting tips from our experts

16:20, Curragh - Murphy to shine on top-rated Whip Cracker

The Irish Lincolnshire is the feature race at the Curragh, and it's a race that was won exclusively by Irish trainers prior to William Haggas winning the 2024 renewal thanks to a last-gasp success for Lattam. 

The market has tended to provide some valuable clues, with five winning favourites since 2011, and only four winners sent off at double-figure-odds (and no bigger than 16/1) over that same period of time.   

Accordingly, the vote goes to the well-fancied Whip Cracker who posted some very good runner-up efforts last term for Richard Hughes, including when beaten just a head by Gladius at the Goodwood Festival.  

Oisin Murphy, who rode the horse to his sole success back in late-2023, is back in the saddle (10/46 for the yard) and the top-rated five-year-old is taken to capitalise on a handy-looking mark and gain a deserved success. 

17:05, Chepstow - Tactical race to suit front-runner Risk De Pluie

The Timeform pace prediction for this race is 'very weak' which should suit the prominent racer Risk De Pluie who scored in good style over C&D last month and can make light of a 7 lb rise at the chief expense of Jaipaletemps who bids for a fifth victory of the campaign but is 7 lb above his last success.  

The Ben Clarke-trained selection - who tops Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and has a 'small p' attached to his rating  which denotes that improvement is expected - was given a good ride by today's jockey Tob McCain-Mitchell over C&D last month and he looks like the sort who could go on again now he has that first chase win under his belt. 

17:40, Chepstow - 'Horse In Focus' Just For Dad the one to beat

It may be Mothering Sunday, but Just For Dad, a half-brother to the smart Lump Sum (winner of six races so far, including the 2024 Welsh Champion Hurdle), showed plenty in a stronger race at Ascot first time up in December and gets the vote with improvement likely.  

The son of Goliath Du Berlais shaped with plenty of promise when 17 lengths eighth of 15 to Bass Hunter in that listed bumper, and it's worth noting that the winner was a gallant third in Wednesday's Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, while the third, Vango Can Go, wasn't beaten that far in eighth. 

With the form looking solid, and improvement to come, a big performance is expected from this Timeform top-rated five-year-old who represents a Sam Thomas yard that has a 25% strike-rate with its bumper horses. 

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