Steve Mullen guides you through Wednesday’s racing at Southwell, Ascot, Pontefract, Brighton and Bath

ASCOT

2.15

LADY PAULINE is having a sighter of Ascot before the Royal meeting and she has a pretty tall reputation coming from the same connections as Lady Aurelia. She won her debut at Keeneland without turning a hair and will be hard to beat here.

Full Verse can win the race for second after showing promise on debut at Newmarket earlier this month after missing the break. Ventura Rebel and Zulu Zander both come here after wins with the former just preferred.

2.50

QUEEN POWER has moved from Ralph Beckett to Sir Michael Stoute and looks set for a big season. She cost half a million as a yearling and repaid some of that fee when winning over 7f pretty easily at Newmarket in October. This step up in trip should help and she has an entry in the Oaks over further still.

Hidden Message won at Yarmouth on debut and didn’t get the run of the race in a Newmarket Group 3 on her other outing. She should have learned plenty from those runs.

Fashion’s Star is another to keep an eye on after she looked a useful filly when winning on debut at Newbury in September. She’s in the Irish 1,000 Guineas later this month so needs a big showing here.

3.25

DEE EX BEE has long been marked down as a future Cup horse and we’ll get to see if staying is his game this season. He was good enough to finish second in the Derby and fourth in the St Leger so this drop in class should suit too. He has the scope for marathon trips and Mark Johnston knows what he’s doing with a stayer.

Weekend was a good second in the Ebor last term and that effort may have taken a lot out of him as his last two runs were modest. With the Gosden horses going so well, he could bounce back after a break.

Verdana Blue is a Grade 1 hurdler with very little experience on the level. It’s interesting to see Nicky Henderson run her here and she’s respected.

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ASCOT ACES A trio of horses to note at Royal Ascot Trials Day on Wednesday

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3.55

If fully fit, CALYX should take all the beating despite him being ruled out of this weekend’s 2,000 Guineas. He has looked like a machine so far and was last seen winning the Coventry Stakes at the Royal meeting here in June. Being off so long is clearly a concern but his class should see him home.

Signora Cabello came up short in the Cheveley Park Stakes in September but had a good season that saw her win a couple of Group 2s, including the Queen Mary here.

Well Done Fox is a Listed winner over 5f and it will be interesting to see how she goes over this extra furlong.

4.25

BARNEY ROY was second in the 2017 Guineas and followed up by winning the St James’s Palace Stakes before his career appeared to have been ended by an injury later that season. But connections have persisted with him and this is a sharp drop in class coming back from 557 days off. If he’s anything like his old self, he’ll be hard to beat.

Wadilsafa progressed well last term and finished with wins at York and Sandown. He looks open to improvement as a four-year-old.

Canvassed has his sights raised here after two good wins, including at Kempton last month. He looks capable of much better.

5.00

TOMILY is taking a fair drop in class here after blowing away the cobwebs on his comeback at Kempton 11 days ago. He’s had a good draw down the weights to be more than a stone below his last winning mark and he has a claimer on board here for good measure.

Iconic Knight progressed well last season and is 5lb higher than a good handicap win at Windsor over this distance. He saves his best for fast ground so should be happy today.

George Dryden was beaten a length at Lingfield last time in a similar contest so should be on the premises again.

5.35

MERCHANT OF VENICE wasn’t helped by missing the kick at Kempton last time and did well to finish just a length off the pace. He has a good claiming rider on board for this switch to turf and James Fanshawe has his horses in decent nick.

Medieval may have needed his comeback after five months off at Kempton last time. He held his own in this class last year and should run well.

Ambient is consistent and came back to turf with a close-up third at Nottingham last time out.

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SOUTHWELL

12.00 Maureb

12.30 Lydiate Lady

1.00 Muqarred

1.30 Cliff Bay

2.00 Fiction Writer

2.35 Natty Night

3.10 Itchingham Lofte

PONTEFRACT

2.25 Xcelente

3.00 Desert Icon

3.35 Jo’s Girl

4.10 Casement

4.45 Round The Island

5.15 Ascot Dreamer

5.50 Nibras Again

BRIGHTON

4.35 Tarrzan

5.10 Paper Star

5.45 Sigrid Nansen

6.15 Sashenka

6.50 Adelante

7.25 Blessed To Empress

7.55 Mother Of Dragons

BATH

4.50 Tinto

5.25 Amazon Princess

6.00 Devils Roc

6.30 Aye Aye Skipper

7.00 Seafarer

7.35 Make Good

8.10 Sassoon