Horse Racing Tips: Timeform’s three things to watch out for this weekend

The boffins give us their fancies at Beverley and Haydock on Saturday and Goodwood on Sunday.

Midnight Affair can light up the Hilary Needler

Richard Fahey has his juveniles in blistering form at present and MIDNIGHT AFFAIR looks very interesting at Beverley on Saturday following an eye-catching debut at Newmarket last month. 

She was quietly supported throughout the day, easily the most expensive filly sold at public auction in the line-up, and she was arguably unlucky not to win, still travelling strongly when short of room two furlongs out and having to switch around horses to launch her effort. 

The manner she made up ground once the winner had flown suggests she is an above-average filly and she has the potential to take a big step forward. That run will have sharpened her up both mentally and physically and she is expected to open her account before having her sights raised further.

Time Lock brings plenty of potential to Haydock

It is a fairly low-key weekend of racing, though the Lester Piggott Stakes over a mile and a half at Haydock on Saturday has attracted some interesting types, notably Time Lock.

TIME LOCK created an excellent impression when opening her account by six and a half lengths at Newmarket last season and she lost little in defeat when bumping into a couple of smart fillies afterwards, narrowly failing to concede weight to Mimikyu at Haydock and then beaten only a neck by Haskoy at York. 

Time Lock has a pedigree and physique to think she can do even better this season and she looked like winning comfortably on her return in a listed race at Goodwood last month – she traded at 1.06 in-running on Betfair – but was run down close home by one who’d already had a run in the spring. 

Time Lock, who was a little keen early, perhaps found the lack of a recent run telling, while that outing also came at a time when the yard wasn’t firing on all cylinders. That run should have brought her forward and she remains a horse to be positive about, especially now the Charltons are back among the winners. 

Don’t underestimate Royal Mila at Goodwood on Sunday 

ROYAL MILA is from a good family – her dam is a sister to useful Russian Realm who is out of 1000 Guineas winner Russian Rhythm – and she looked a bright prospect when making a winning debut over a mile and a quarter at Goodwood last month.

That was a valuable race of its type and Royal Mila did well to see off the persistent runner-up, who travelled through the race like the likeliest winner, but had no answer for the determination of William Haggas’ filly. 

The pair pulled clear of the remainder, so it is worth taking a positive view of that form, and Royal Mila has the potential to improve significantly for that initial experience – she was awarded a Large P by Timeform’s reporter, which suggests she is capable of much better form. 

She is entered in a listed event over the same course and distance as her debut win on Sunday and she has the potential to mix it at that level, while she clearly handles the unique twists and undulations of Goodwood well. It would be no surprise if she played a leading role and could be underestimated in the betting. 

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