Sky Bet Sunday Series tips: race-by-race guide at Newmarket

The £1.3m Sky Bet Sunday Series heads to the headquarters of racing on Sunday, and the opening race on the seven-race fixture highlights the work of the series’ new charity partner, Cure Leukaemia, which puts its name to the opening novice contest at 15:45.

Dubawi colt Ancient Truth might be the percentage call given his stable's strike-rate with newcomers, but Megaphone, El Burhan and Principality all hail from yards that have good records in this race and narrow preference is for the former. He’s closely related to the Group-placed Finest Sound and his trainer has a level stakes profit of £13.45 with juveniles at the track. Bold Impact’s sales price rose six-fold as a yearling and his dam was very sharp, so he’s another obvious contender.

Andrew Balding can combine his good recent form and good record in the 16:15 with Berkshire Rocco who should come on for his comeback over C&D a fortnight ago when he was one place ahead of Adjuvant. Berkshire Rocco was a good fifth in the Ebor off this mark last season, so this prominent racer could be the answer down in class in a race without too much pace (on paper). Too Friendly failed to meet expectations in the Chester Cup but he'll find this test more suitable. His stable had success at Musselburgh, the first fixture at this year's Sky Bet Sunday Series, and will be cheered on by all at the yard who have the opportunity to win cash prizes, with a total of £15,000 to be paid out to the stable staff of the first three trainers in the Series.

Plenty of in-form contenders contest the 10f handicap at 16:45 with the exciting Mahboob given the nod. He’s 2/2 on the all-weather and impressed from the front last time, and even a lofty mark of 91 may still underestimate this Sea The Stars four-year-old who is related to several Group winners. Lough Leane has been in fine fettle on a variety of artificial surfaces but this jump in class demands more, so a bigger threat could be Daysofourlives whose recent reappearance third looks very strong form; this longer trip won’t inconvenience him either.

It’s easy to build a case for many in the Sky Bet Build A Bet Handicap at 17:15 but the four-year-olds may hold sway as they have in recent years (9 of the last 13 winners). King of Fury ran well last time – despite refusing to settle – and is respected along with the in-form Noodle Mission, but Mubhijah really impressed when bolting up at Carlise last season and should come on plenty for her reappearance over an inadequate trip where she was hampered when weakening late on. Her jockey Saffie Osborne notched two wins at Musselburgh, putting her in pole position for the Jockey Cup which will again offer a total of £60,000 of prizes across the six fixtures in the Series, with the jockey amassing the most points at each fixture scooping £10,000. Great Max (first start for shrewd new yard), Outrun The Storm and recent Yarmouth runner-up Double Time look the pick of the rest.

The 17:45 can go to Woodhay Wonder who has been a real money-spinner for connections, winning two valuable sales races last season and returning with a career-best last month over C&D. She can defy a 5lb rise and see off the likes of Watch My Tracer who should appreciate the drop in trip/grade and Jehangeer, though he needs to prove himself away from a flat track. Garfield Shadow and Al Shabab Storm are very closely matched on the former’s Chester win, while Completely Random was hampered at the start here last month and rates better than that. With his yard in good form he could prove to be a bigger danger than Jimmy Speaking who is fitted with cheekpieces despite chasing a hat-trick.

The shrewd Stuart Williams drops the exciting Racing TV x Raceshare horse Lir Speciale () to the minimum trip at 18:15 but things might happen a little too quickly. Preference is for recent Ascot winner Isle of Lismore who also has a win on the July Course to his name; he should get the strong pace he needs thanks to the likes of Ready Freddie Go and Thunder Moor who has been in good nick in Bahrain this winter. The drop in class will suit Pepsi Cat who is in the form of her life.

Jim Crowley (2/9 for the yard) looks a notable booking for Raimunda who can get her fledgling career back on track in the closing mile handicap at 18:45. She disappointed on her final start at Haydock last season but had looked one to follow when winning over the same C&D the time before. Speriamo impressed on the July Course last term and is respected, along with Bint Al Daar who may be suited by the drop in trip. Astral Spirit may find it harder to dominate this field compared to Wetherby last time and rates less of a threat than the twice-raced trio of Sunfall, Toxic and Heartwarmer. A 3lb rise gives Royal Velvet a good chance of landing her hat-trick, too.