Thursday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data including a 7/2 top-rated Horse In Focus

• Eye-catching jockey booking for Fat Harry

• Concert Boy primed to go one better after good second last time

• Kempton win working out well for Absolute Star

14:30, Sedgefield - Fat Harry the type to do better over fences

Most of these are going over fences for the first time and one who has given the impression that he'll come into his own over the larger obstacles is Fat Harry for Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith. He didn't win over hurdles but hasn't had too many opportunities for an eight-year-old and there was promise in some of his placed efforts in the spring.

He kept on well to finish third over today's trip at Catterick and despite the drop back to two miles at Uttoxeter next time, he did well in the circumstances to finish second.

Fat Harry had conditional riders for his latter runs last term, but the booking of Danny McMenamin for this chasing debut is an eye-catching one, earning him the 'Jockey Uplift' flag. McMenanin has been successful on six of his 15 rides for Fat Harry's stable, equating to an excellent 40% strike-rate. Parkinson & Smith had a winner at Wetherby last week among other recent runners to have run well, and Fat Harry is fancied to make a winning start over fences.

17:30, Newcastle - Horse In Focus Concert Boy can add to fine course record

Concert Boy thrives at Newcastle, with all three of his career wins coming there, two of those victories coming early this year among another five efforts when he made the frame.

Katie Scott's five-year-old, who heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, also went close on turf at Musselburgh over the summer, but he has a particularly consistent record at Newcastle which he added to on his last start ten days ago.

Back in the blinkers which he'd worn previously on the tapeta, Concert Boy shaped encouragingly after twelve weeks off when unlucky to bump into a rival who had tumbled in the weights. Slowly away as he often is, Concert Boy had to pick his way through the field from off the pace but kept on well for hand riding to finish second behind Bowood. That earned Concert Boy the 'Horses For Courses' flag, and he looks primed to strike off the same mark here which is also his last winning one.

18:15, Chelmsford - More to come from Kempton winner Absolute Star

This is a slightly better-grade handicap than the one that Absolute Star won at Kempton last time, but Roger Varian's filly remains lightly raced, particularly this season, and she may well be able to follow up.

Absolute Star showed improved form on her turf debut when making a successful reappearance after seven months off at Doncaster in July and looked the type to go on progressing. While she didn't make much impression over an extra two furlongs at the same track next time, she got back on the up returned to a mile at Kempton last time after an eight-week break and won in straightforward fashion by a length and a quarter from Kitaro Kich, earning the 'Horse In Focus' flag.

The runner-up is one of two subsequent winners from that race, and with the form working out well, Absolute Star, who heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, can make it three wins from four starts in 2025.

Now read Sam Turner's Thursday racing tips