Thursday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data including a 15/8 improving Horse In Focus at Huntingdon

• Progressive A Great Excuse has strong form

• Bold Endeavour can capitalise on reduced mark

• Vantheman interesting back on the all-weather 

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Huntingdon, 12:28 - 'Horse In Focus' A Great Excuse open to further improvement

A Great Excuse shaped with encouragement when fourth at Ffos Las on his chasing debut and first start for Max Comley, but he probably did a bit too much too soon in first-time cheekpieces and failed to fully see out the two-and-a-half-mile trip.

The headgear was discarded and he was dropped in trip for his next start at Lingfield, where he showed improved form to get off the mark, impressing with how he responded to pressure to lead close home. The style of that success earned A Great Excuse the Horse In Focus Flag from Timeform's reporter, marking him out as one likely to be of firm interest next time.

The second and third both won next time out to give the form a boost so A Great Excuse still looks well treated off this 5 lb higher mark and heads Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings by 2 lb. He also has the Timeform 'small p' to show that further improvement is expected.

Huntingdon, 15:15 - Top-rated Bold Endeavour catches the eye back with Henderson

Bold Endeavour comes with risks attached as he failed to fire on all three starts for Laura Morgan last season and was pulled up on his last couple of outings. However, he has rejoined Nicky Henderson and that switch has generated Timeform's Trainer Uplift Flag. 

Bold Endeavour failed to win for Henderson during the 2023/24 season, but he showed useful form on occasions and hit the frame in some competitive handicaps, including when fourth in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival. 

He has been disappointing since then but is now 13 lb lower in the weights than when fourth in the Pertemps Final and he comes out 7 lb clear on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings based on that form. It's worth taking a chance that the switch in stables can help rejuvenate him. 

Newcastle, 18:30 - 'Horse In Focus' Vantheman is on a handy mark

Vantheman failed to win in 2025 but he fell in the weights as a consequence and shaped well when fifth at York on his latest outing in October, earning the Horse In Focus Flag after doing best of those drawn high.

That form has worked out well so Vantheman looks nicely treated off this 1 lb lower mark and narrowly heads Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings based on the pick of his form last season.

It's also worth noting that Vantheman was successful on his only previous outing on the all-weather, impressively scoring over this course and distance a couple of seasons ago.

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