Time to lock in for Haydock winnings

Time Lock looks to have plenty in her favour as she bids to open her account for the season on Saturday in the Sky Bet Lester Piggott Stakes at Haydock.

The daughter of Frankel was seriously impressive on her second career start at Newmarket last term, since when she has filled the runner-up spot in three successive races.

She was an odds-on favourite to beat the reopposing Mimikyu in a novice event at this meeting 12 months ago, but was beaten a neck in soft ground.

The winner is clearly a major threat once more, but the suspicion is she may be better with more ease underfoot, whereas the forecast good to firm surface should be right up Time Lock's street.

Following that narrow reverse Harry and Roger Charlton's inmate was touched off by another high-class Juddmonte-owned filly in Haskoy in the Galtres Stakes at York, with the winner now rated 110 after finishing fourth in the St Leger and winning a Group Three at Newbury on her reappearance last month.

Time Lock made her comeback in Listed company at Goodwood and did not do much wrong in being beaten a length by Luisa Casati, with conditions again not entirely in her favour.

She is bound to strip fitter for that run, she should encounter her favoured ground and with Ryan Moore booked to ride her for the first time everything points to a big performance.

Moore could well complete a Group Three double in the following Sky Bet John of Gaunt Stakes, with Antipodean raider The Astrologist given a second chance to show his worth on British soil.

The seven-year-old has performed with credit against some of Australia's best sprinters in his homeland and was beaten just a head by Danyah in the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night in March.

His seventh-place finish in last month's 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes on his UK debut does not look particularly encouraging on paper, but he showed up well for a long way on the Knavesmire before tiring late in the piece.

The Astrologist should strip fitter on Merseyside and he really needs to be winning a race of this nature if he is to head for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot with realistic claims.

Not much has gone right for Korker so far this term, but he may enjoy a change of fortunes in the Listed Sky Bet Achilles Stakes.

Karl Burke's charge is a course and distance winner, albeit at a lower level, and is high-class sprinter when things fall his way - but his hold-up style means he is a hostage to fortune.

It is easy to put a line through his first run of the season in a soft-ground Palace House Stakes at Newmarket and he is better judged on his next effort in a competitive sprint handicap at York, where he fluffed the start before charging home to be beaten just half a length. He really should have won.

The four-year-old was favourite to put that right back at York nine days later, but was carried badly right soon after the stalls opened and he had little chance thereafter.

Korker has more in his plate stepping back up to Listed class, but he does not have much to find on ratings and if he gets the splits he should go close for a yard that remains in excellent form.

Burke is particularly strong in the juvenile department this season and sends one of his most exciting prospects to Beverley for the bet365 Two Year Old Trophy Conditions Stakes in Cuban Slide.

Plenty was expected of the Havana Grey colt on his debut at Musselburgh as the 8-13 favourite and he delivered in spades, motoring nine lengths clear of his toiling rivals despite being eased down.

Drawn well in stall two, he will take some stopping despite the burden of a penalty.

The Richard Fahey-trained Midnight Affair looks the one to be with in the Hilary Needler Trophy.

The daughter of Dark Angel set connections back 180,000 guineas as a yearling and she was sent to Newmarket's Guineas meeting for her racecourse debut.

While no match for the impressive winner Soprano, Midnight Affair was clearly best of the rest despite enduring a troubled passage and she is fancied go one better on the Westwood.

Prospect can make it back-to-back wins at Catterick in the Start Your RacingTV Free Trial Now Handicap, while Hidalgo De L'Isle rates the best bet over the jumps at Bangor in the Beck's Handicap Hurdle. - Press Association

TAB is betting on 6 UK meetings today. Here are the tips:

HAYDOCK: Race 1: 14.15 Korker, Race 2: 14.50 Lethal Nymph, Race 3: 15.25 Onesmoothoperator, Race 4: 16.00 TIME LOCK (NAP), Race 5: 16.35 The Astrologist, Race 6: 17.10 In These Shoes, Race 7: 17.45 Venetian.

BEVERLEY: Race 1: 14.30 Leap Day, Race 2: 15.05 Midnight Affair, Race 3: 15.40 Miss Britain, Race 4: 16.15 Cuban Slide, Race 5: 16.50 Orchestra, Race 6: 17.25 Berry Edge, Race 7: 18.00 Thornaby Beauty.

BANGOR: Race 1: 14.40 Pottlerath, Race 2: 15.15 Master Player, Race 3: 15.50 Steel Wave, Race 4: 16.25 Hidalgo De L'Isle, Race 5: 17.00 Norley, Race 6: 17.35 Balranald, Race 7: 18.10 Rose In The Park.

CATTERICK: Race 1: 15.10 Elizabeth's Joy, Race 2: 15.45 Lord Torranaga, Race 3: 16.20 Langholm, Race 4: 16.55 Dark Crusade, Race 5: 17.30 Muscika, Race 6: 18.05 Robusto, Race 7: 18.40 Prospect.

CHEPSTOW: Race 1: 18.50 Rhubarb, Race 2: 19.20 Imperiality, Race 3: 19.55 Jax Edge, Race 4: 20.30 Connie's Rose, Race 5: 21.00 Little Boy Blue, Race 6: 21.30 Deacs Delight, Race 7: 22.00 Geelong.

LINGFIELD: Race 1: 18.35 Brigitte, Race 2: 19.10 No Turning Back, Race 3: 19.40 Nails Murphy, Race 4: 20.15 Smokey Malone, Race 5: 20.45 Auld Toon Loon, Race 6: 21.15 Kehlani, Race 7: 21.45 Amazing.

ALL TO COME: Time Lock (Haydock, Race 4) and Cuban Slide (Beverley, Race 4).