Racing Tips: Key Timeform data including a 6/1 improving Horse In Focus at Carlisle

15:52, Carlisle - Chasingouttheblues will appreciate stiff finish

It's the Finals of the Go North Series' handicap chases at Carlisle where the Red Rum Series Final over three miles brings together a couple of young chasers who fought out a close finish at Catterick last time and both look the sorts to keep on side.

Just half a length separated Mark Walford's Chasingouttheblues and Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith's Paddy O'Mahler on that occasion, with both horses earning the 'Horse In Focus' flag. Wearing cheekpieces for the first time, that was a second win over fences for Chasingouttheblues who came from a seemingly impossible position to win a novices' handicap at Wetherby in December and pulled the race out of the fire late on again at Catterick too.

Chasingouttheblues will stay long distances in due course, therefore, and held an entry in last weekend's Midlands Grand National. But while he remains at three miles here, Carlisle's stiffer finish should suit him much better, and, heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, he can confirm Catterick placings with Paddy O'Mahler from a 2 lb higher mark.

16:22, Naas - Shaool can continue progressing

Sunchart bids to win the listed Devoy Stakes at Naas for the third year running but he may well have to settle for place money this year behind younger rival Shaool who was improving in leaps and bounds for Johnny Murtagh last autumn and heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings on her return.

Shaool got off the mark on her handicap debut at Leopardstown last summer but her form began to take off later in the year, ending her campaign by firstly winning the valuable Northfields Handicap at the Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend in emphatic fashion and then storming clear in a listed race at Leopardstown in October for a six-length victory over the Aidan O'Brien trained three-year-old Acapulco Bay.

Shaool earned the 'Horse In Focus' flag at Leopardstown where she looked destined for better things than listed races in 2026, and she won't be at all inconvenienced by the forecast testing conditions here given that last win came in heavy ground.

16:27, Carlisle - Wolfburg one to keep on side

Back at Carlisle, Sandy Thomson's Wolfburg looks the one to beat off a light weight in the Monet's Garden Series Final as he has been shaping well over fences at an ordinary level and looks the most progressive runner in the field.

Having had another breathing operation in the autumn, Wolfburg put a poor spell of form behind him when fitted with cheekpieces and a tongue tie for the first time at Wetherby on Boxing Day. Always going with zest, he turned that novices' handicap into a one-sided contest in pulling nearly ten lengths clear and has remained in form although beaten in both starts since. His stamina was stretched when third over a longer trip at Catterick next time, but he got back on the up when narrowly beaten over today's course and distance last month.

But for a mistake late in the race, Wolfburg might have come out on top last time, but he couldn't quite peg back leader Trac and went down by a head to a rival who is among the opposition again here. However, Wolfburg earned the 'Horse In Focus flag' for that effort and tops the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings so is fancied to gain compensation.

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