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

• Night Tara will relish longer trip

• Demetrius can complete a hat-trick

• Hot Flame looks a smart prospect

13:50, Southwell - Night Tara can prove herself well handicapped

Night Tara became yet another from this yard to make a winning handicap debut over a mile and a quarter at Chelmsford last month, off the bridle long before the long-time leader, and needing every inch of the trip.

Night Tara shaped similarly over the same course and distance last week, but this time she was unable to prevail under a 7lb claimer, again pushed along from some way out and doing all of her best work at the finish.

She now moves up just over a furlong in trip, switched to a track with a longer straight, which will allow her more time to hit top gear, and she's expected to prove this mark a lenient one with further progress in the offing - she still has the 'Timeform small p' attached to her rating - especially now back under professional handling.

15:30, Haydock - Demetrius can go on improving

This is an interesting nursery, with three last-time-out winners all carrying a penalty, but preference is for the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Demetrius, who is proving a sharper than most juveniles that emerge from this yard.

He built on the promise of his handicap debut, where he still looked inexperienced, to win his last two starts at Catterick and Chelmsford. Demetrius wore first-time cheekpieces when opening his account, getting off the mark despite wandering off a true line in the closing stages, and more severe headgear (visor) was used when following up last week.

Demetrius proved more tractable away from an undulating track, the one-and-a-half length winning margin looking like it would be much further at one point, but the runner-up made good late headway. There's no doubt he will stay seven furlongs, more than likely he'll improve further for it, and he's one to keep on the right side with cheekpieces now back on.

16:37, Haydock - Hot Flame interesting on handicap debut

Hot Flame is bred to be smart - she's out of a mare who is a sister to very smart Magic Wand and closely related to Irish Oaks winner Chicquita - and she made the perfect start to her career when winning a novice over a mile at Yarmouth just under a year ago.

That was solid form, and she improved further on her return from 10 months off when runner-up at Newmarket at the beginning of last month, as expected, well suited by the step up to a mile and a quarter.

She still looked rough around the edges, though, and is entitled to strip fitter for that outing, too, so there should be quite a bit more to come from her - she has the Horse In Focus Flag. An opening mark of 89 isn't excessive and, while she'll stay further in time, this trip is perfect for just now.

Now read Alan Dudman's antepost tips for Saturday's racing at Haydock