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

• Spirit of Acklam to appreciate the drop in grade

• My Mate Alfie can pick up where he left off

• Unexposed I Follow Rivers has more to offer

'Horses For Courses' Spirit of Acklam can bounce back

Spirit of Acklam finished down the field in the Spring Mile on his return at Doncaster last month but shouldn't be judged too harshly on that effort as he raced keenly in first-time cheekpieces and was prominently placed in a race run at a sound gallop into a headwind. 

The cheekpieces are retained here but it is hoped that initial outing will have taken some of the freshness out of Spirit of Acklam and he can take advantage of this marked drop in grade. 

Spirit of Acklam, who is 2 lb clear on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings, looks on a handy mark on the pick of last season's efforts, including a close-up third over this course and distance. He had won a novice on his only previous visit to Ayr and has Timeform's Horses For Courses Flag to highlight his effectiveness at the track.

Smart sprinter My Mate Alfie the ratings choice

This five-furlong listed sprint will pose a different test for My Mate Alfie as he has yet to tackle the minimum trip, but the level of form he showed during a highly successful season last term marks him out as the one to beat.

My Mate Alfie won four times during the campaign and ended the season on a roll, proving successful on his final three starts. 

His final victory, which came in a listed race at this venue, was arguably the pick of the lot and has earned him the Horses For Courses Flag. He looks well worth his place in the top sprints later in the summer and, 4 lb clear on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings in this listed contest, he is taken to strike on his return. 

'Horse In Focus' I Follow Rivers an improver

I Follow Rivers couldn't reward the support that saw him sent off favourite on his handicap debut and reappearance at Chelmsford earlier this month, but he shaped well in third and left the impression there's more to come.

I Follow Rivers didn't have an ideal journey at Chelmsford as he was trapped wide and forced even wider on the home turn, but he stuck to his task well on his first start at seven furlongs, seeing the trip out, and he only missed out on the runner-up spot by a head.

That effort earned him Timeform's Horse In Focus Flag, identifying him as one who likely to be of interest next time, and he still has the Timeform 'small p' to denote he's a likely improver. 

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