Thursday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data including a Horse In Focus

• Improving Badbury Rings one to watch 

• Course specialist Barnaby can win again

• Kitaro Kich caught the eye on the clock

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'Horse In Focus' Badbury Rings can follow up

The Neil Mulholland-trained Badbury Rings is an improving horse who got the job done in good style at Wincanton last time and will remain of interest. He was seemingly brought along with handicaps in mind and he has duly showed improved form since entering this sphere, finishing placed twice over this course and distance - he has the Horses For Courses Flag as a result - and he bumped into a well-treated mare two starts back.

Badbury Rings built on that promise as expected when going one place better at Wincanton last time, dropped out and travelling well, jumping into the lead at the second-last and in command coming down to the final flight.

He was just pushed out on the run-in, his jockey not at all going for everything and he had more in hand than the half-length winning margin suggests. Badbury Rings pulled well clear of the remainder and is a Horse In Focus who still has the Timeform 'small p' attached to his rating. He is expected to defy a 9lb rise in the weights and win again.

Thriving Barnaby well placed to win again

Barnaby is already a six-time course and distance winner who proved better than ever last time and he can record yet another win at this track. He was less exposed than most when resuming winning ways earlier this month, always well positioned close to the pace and never looking like being beaten once hitting the front over a furlong out.

He produced a similar display when following up last time, again always well positioned given how the race unfolded, and again impressing with how much he found for pressure, displaying a nice turn of foot and keeping on well.

Barnaby is clearly thriving at present - he has the Horse In Focus Flag - and the booking of up-and-coming claimer Warren Fentiman also earns him the Jockey Uplift Flag. The 7lb he takes off is invaluable and he is taken to complete a hat-trick in a race which doesn't look much stronger. 

Kitaro Kich remains on a good mark

Kitaro Kich arrives in form, having hit the frame in his last four starts, including a win at Wolverhampton two starts back, and he is fancied to go well again. He built on recent promise when opening his account over the extended mile at Wolverhampton last month, doing it with a bit to spare, too, making good headway when having to switch and staying on strongly in the final furlong.

Kitaro Kich was arguably unlucky not to follow up over the same course and distance last time, shaping well under a penalty, having to drop in from a wide draw and meeting trouble in-running. With a clearer run and a stronger pace he would have been bang there at the finish, while his closing sectional also means his effort can be marked up further. He ran the final two furlongs fastest of all (23.33) and 0.5 seconds quicker than the eventual winner.

The return to seven furlongs shouldn't pose a problem, particularly as there is a strong pace forecast, and Kitaro Kich can confirm himself a horse who remains on a good mark. 

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