Friday Racing Tips: Key Timeform data including an improving Horse In Focus

• Return to sprinting to suit Shadow of Light

• Zarigana deserves a Group 1 win on her own merits

• 'Derby day' for gelding Amiloc in King Edward VII Stakes

• Gamble responsibly with Betfair during Royal Ascot 2025

Royal Ascot, 15:05 - Top-rated Shadow of Light can show class

Last season's top-rated two-year-old Shadow of Light ran an excellent race in the 2000 Guineas, matching the best of his juvenile efforts in finishing third, beaten a length behind stablemate Ruling Court. Runner-up Field of Gold turned the tables on the winner in comprehensive fashion in the St James's Palace Stakes earlier in the week, but 'Hot Trainer' Charlie Appleby can land the Commonwealth Cup (15:05), with Shadow of Light promising to be ideally suited by a return to sprinting.

Shadow of Light emulated his close relative Earthlight by winning the Middle Park Stakes at two before following up over the extra furlong of the Dewhurst Stakes. In the 2000 Guineas, however, he was outstayed in the final furlong having shown plenty of speed, travelling with zest and then quickening to the front with a sharp turn of foot under two furlongs out.

With Shadow of Light's only other defeat coming in the Gimcrack Stakes last year, he sets the standard on form, being 3 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, and with the potential to do better still back sprinting, he's the one to beat from his high draw.

Royal Ascot, 16:20 - Zarigana has clear claims on ratings

French filly Zarigana goes into the Coronation Stakes (16:20) with a record of four wins from five starts, though in both her Group 1 races so far she has passed the post in second, albeit beaten the minimum margin on both occasions. Longer-priced stablemate Vertical Blue surprised her in the Prix Marcel Boussac last autumn. Back over Longchamp's mile in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches last month, she lost out by a nose again in a messy finish to British-trained rival Shes Perfect only for the stewards to award her the race, taking into account the interference she was deemed to have suffered.

Zarigana's jockey Mickael Barzalona also lost his whip in the process but regardless of the contested outcome, Zarigana ran her best race yet and looks open to further improvement in keeping with her excellent Aga Khan pedigree, being a granddaughter of unbeaten Arc winner Zarkava.

French fillies have a fine record in the Coronation Stakes and Zarigana's trainer Francis-Henri Graffard has already won the race in 2019 with Watch Me, she too having had a troubled run beforehand in the Pouliches. Zarigana's late owner has also had success in the Coronation before with the Pouliches winner Ervedya, another daughter of Siyouni like Zarigana who sets a good standard 5 lb clear in the Timeform ratings.

Royal Ascot, 17:35 - 'Horse In Focus' Amiloc is an improver

As a gelding, Amiloc wasn't eligible to run in the Derby, but he has a good chance of landing the so-called 'Ascot Derby', the King Edward VII Stakes, for 'Hot Trainer' Ralph Beckett. Amiloc brings an impressive record into the race as he is unbeaten in four starts and ran out a convincing winner of a Derby trial last time, the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood.

That doesn't tell the whole story of the race as Amiloc tended to go a bit in snatches and needed a reminder at halfway, but once hitting the front inside the final furlong, he stormed right away to win by four lengths from Sir Dinadan for a comfortable success in the end which earned him the 'Horse In Focus' flag.

The extra furlong here is sure to suit Amiloc who is bred to stay further still and could have run in the Queen's Vase earlier in the week, though entries in the Eclipse and King George suggest connections consider he could prove up to contesting the best middle-distance races. He'll need to win this to keep those hopes alive, but there's more to come from him and he won't need to improve very much more to get the better of Lingfield Derby Trial winner Puppet Master who heads the Timeform ratings.

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