Timeform Daily View | Friday preview and tips

By Nic Doggett

Horse Racing

Fri January 23, 2026 · 1d ago

Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on Friday.

Who knows best?

It’s a relatively low-key Friday, perhaps underlined by there being just four Horses In Focus across the five meetings taking place in Britain and Ireland.

Intriguingly, just one of the four gets the nod from the Timeform verdict writers: He Knows Better in the 15:47 at Warwick.

I don’t know who the horse – owned by Isobel Webb and Julie Fowler - is named after, and I’m sure we can all think of someone we know that it would fit nicely, but the horse himself has started to look worth the owners’ patience after a stop/start career to date.

He ran in some excellent bumpers back in 2022/23 - including finishing runner-up to The Jukebox Man at Ffos Las – but, having broken his maiden tag over hurdles in May 2024, was then off the track for 574 days prior to his chasing bow at Haydock last month.

The Jet Away gelding would have gone close but for a late fall in that 2½m handicap won by Hitthehayson, then paid for a big move into contention when 4¾ lengths second of 12 to Impatient in a similar event at Huntingdon later in the month.

A brother to the point winner Transition Period, he seemed to improve for the longer trip there and remains open to improvement; he can strike a blow for followers of the Horses In Focus flag.

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Good to the last drop?

Saturday’s Great Yorkshire Chase, along with a brace of Grade 2 hurdles, are the main focus of the action on Town Moor this week, but Friday’s card whets the appetite with a seven-race card that gets under way at 12:45.

Not that the Virgin Bet EBF "National Hunt" Maiden Hurdle (Qualifier) has been a race for those hoping to get rich quick, with winners ranging from 8/11 to just 3/1 over the last eight years.

Ben Pauling and Emma Lavelle have taken the prize home twice each over that period, and ‘Hot Trainer’ Pauling saddles two as he bids to repeat the feat: Les’s Destiny Star, who won a bumper at the track back in early-2024, and Dig Deep, who has shown ability in three starts over timber and should appreciate this ease in grade.

Rathkenny (up in trip), West Hill Verde (ahead of Dig Deep at Ascot) and Danger Nap (showed ability in bumpers) are all of interest, but the horse I’m most looking forward to watching is Mulinas.

The seven-year-old has a lower profile than Supreme favourite El Cairos, but was part of the same David Maxwell dispersal sale which took place in October. A price tag of £50,000 compared to El Cairos’ £410,000 gives a clue as to what might be expected, for all that might be because Mulinas – who beat Potters Charm in a Boulta point-to-point in late-2023 – hasn't been seen since a brace of modest bumper runs in the spring of 2024.

He may have a new jockey, but Mulinas has stayed with Paul Nicholls, was bought by the trainer’s daughter Megan for The Laughton Family, and with headgear on for the first time now up in trip, could be about to show his true colours.

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