Sunday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data including a top-rated Horse In Focus

• Novello Lad has good Doncaster record

• Haggas has excellent record at Hamilton

• Abuction poised to strike

Another Doncaster win for Novello Lad?

Novello Lad began his career by finishing second at Doncaster on his debut at two and he has been a fairly frequent visitor to the South Yorkshire track ever since. It was also where he gained his only victory to date, when justifying very strong support in a six-furlong handicap last June.

 Apart from when disappointing on his final start last season, Novello Lad has run at least creditably since, though shaped as if he'd be better for the run on his latest start at Doncaster which came early last month following an eight-month absence during which he underwent a breathing operation.

 Novello Lad was well backed again at Redcar last time when shaping better than the bare result in third behind Willolarupi after not getting a clear run over a furlong out. Able to race off the same mark again here and heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, Novello Lad should be bang there with Paul Midgley stepping him back up to seven furlongs, a trip he had no trouble with as a two-year-old.  

Hamilton record of William Haggas points to Sam Hawkens

'Hot Trainer' William Haggas has an excellent record with his selective raids on Hamilton in recent years, having a 41% strike rate at the track since the start of 2021, so the fact that Sam Hawkens is the stable's only runner making the long journey from Newmarket looks significant. He contests the 1m5f handicap (16:45) at this Sky Bet Sunday Series meeting.

 The winner of a maiden at Salisbury last year when trained by Richard Hannon, it took Sam Hawkens several attempts to win a handicap, but he did so in good style at Newcastle last time when readily getting the better of another unexposed four-year-old, Steel Tiger, by a length and three quarters.

 A 7 lb rise in the weights looks fair, and while the runner-up takes him on again here, he needs to bounce back from a lesser effort on turf. Now that he's found his feet for his current yard, Sam Hawkens, who heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, can follow up before possibly heading back to Newcastle for the Northumberland Plate.

Abduction can end his losing streak

Jim Goldie's runners at Hamilton are always worth a second look and the local trainer looks to have a strong hand in the six-furlong handicap for older horses (18:15) where Abduction is just preferred to stablemate Rock Melody.

You have to go back to October 2023 for Abduction's last win but he's the best part of a stone lower in the weights these days and has been shaping in his recent starts as though it's only a matter of time before he takes advantage of the handicapper's leniency.

He could do with a change of luck, though, as he met trouble in running when beaten a short head by stablemate Oriental Prince at Haydock last month and gave the impression he would have put down a serious challenge to shock winner Fletchers Dream at Musselbugh last time had he got a clear run up the rail before finishing with running left in fourth. Heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, Abduction looks ready to get his head in front again.

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