Sovereign to reign at Southwell

Sovereign Sea deserves to get his head in front in the Weekly Free Bets With BetMGM Extra Handicap at Southwell on Wednesday following two close seconds this year.

Roger Varian's gelding was 3 lengths clear of the third when just collared in the final strides by odds-on favourite Bragbor at Newcastle in January, being shaded by a short head.

He then just missed out by 0.5-lengths following a fine battle with Muddy Mooy at Wolverhampton, with that pair pulling 5 lengths clear of Andrew Balding's well-bred Nahy.

A convincing scorer at Newcastle on his racecourse debut back in November, Sovereign Sea is a likeable four-year-old with plenty of scope for further improvement and an opening handicap mark of 85 feels manageable.

Karl Burke is already in double figures for three-year-old winners this term and his Arkinthestars appeals in the Boost Your Acca At BetMGM EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes.

This daughter of Mohaather was sent over to Ireland for a valuable sales race on her first start in September and was not beaten too far when ninth of 22, making eye-catching late headway following a tardy start.

She was then third behind what looked a nice Newcastle winner in Orange Sky over 1400m and stepping up to 1600m here should suit, as half-brother To Nathaniel won at up to 2400m.

It will be frustrating if Spirit Of Summer cannot finally get off the mark in the Best Odds Guaranteed At BetMGM Maiden Stakes for Balding and Oisin Murphy.

He was placed three times as a juvenile, losing out by just a head to Godolphin newcomer Secret Theory at Newmarket in October.

Running in the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud on his final start at two predictably proved an overly ambitious option, but this is a more sensible starting point for his three-year-old campaign.

Patrick Mullins makes an appearance at Haydock when partnering Catterick scorer Jarrive De Mee in the Molson Coors Novices' Hurdle but Starcrossed Lover represents a useful opponent.

Neil Mulholland's charge beat a subsequent scorer in La Pinsonniere at Windsor before romping home by 17 lengths at Hereford.

The six-year-old was out of his depth when taking on Tripoli Flyer in the Grade Two Dovecote at Kempton but can get back on track if none the worse for that experience.

Duke Of Deception travelled sweetly for a long way before just being run out of it late on when second at Warwick recently and is taken to go one better in the Tim Molony Handicap Chase.

That was on good ground and he also has an October 2023 Wetherby win on a sound surface on his CV, so conditions in Merseyside should be fine for him.

At Huntingdon, Galactic Charm is fancied to return to winning ways in the Weatherbys Racing Bank Novices' Hurdle for Gary and Josh Moore.

Following an easy odds-on success at Fontwell, the four-year-old found the pace too hot when taking on East India Dock at Cheltenham in January but was then a solid second to Narragansett in a competitive Sandown juvenile handicap.

Ben Pauling's Wolf Moon showed a 50-1 second to Palladium here was no fluke by scoring nicely at Southwell but has to give Galactic Charm 10lb in this contest. - Press Association

TAB is betting on 3 UK meetings on Wednesday. Here are the tips.

HAYDOCK: Race 1: 16.20 Galunggung, Race 2: 16.50 Pike Road, Race 3: 17.20 Starcrossed Lover, Race 4: 17.50 Presenting Doy, Race 5: 18.25 Duke Of Deception, Race 6: 19.00 Typhoon Flyer, Race 7: 19.35 Lune De La Mer.

HUNTINGDON: Race 1: 16.35 Buckna, Race 2: 17.05 Cuban Court, Race 3: 17.35 Superstylin, Race 4: 18.07 Galactic Charm, Race 5: 18.42 Camino Rocio, Race 6: 19.12 And She Was.

SOUTHWELL: Race 1: 18.52 Invincible Crown, Race 2: 19.25 Caballo De Mar, Race 3: 20.00 Gozo, Race 4: 20.30 SOVEREIGN SEA (NAP), Race 5: 21.00 Arkinthestars, Race 6: 21.30 Spirit Of Summer, Race 7: 22.00 Al Arbeed, Race 8: 22.30 Chief Mankato.

DOUBLE: Sovereign Sea and Arkinthestars (Southwell, Races 4 and 5).