Stable star Sovereign Debt ready for another big showdown

Sovereign Debt, one of the racing stories of 2017, will bid to stretch his winning sequence under James Sullivan to four at Ascot on Saturday.

Trainer Ruth Carr confirmed the eight-year-old goes for the Fred Cowley Memorial MBE Summer Mile, in which he faces a stiff task under a 3lb penalty for his Group 2 win in the bet365 Mile at Sandown in April.

"It looks a hot race," said Carr, who claimed the Diomed Stakes at Epsom with the gelding on his last outing. "But he deserves his place in this sort of race and the rain at Ascot will suit us.

"I haven't had many runners at Ascot and certainly haven't had a winner there. He had a little bit of an easy time after his Epsom win for a week or so but has stepped back up and is in good form."

Sovereign Debt had given the late David Nicholls a big send-off when winning a local Group 2 in Doha in February before the trainer retired.

Mutakeyyef (black cap) will be bidding for repeat wins in the Summer MileCredit: Mark Cranham

The vagaries of race conditions sees last year's winner Mutakayyef –hot favourite to repeat the feat – escape a penalty for that win, as does Dutch Connection, another Group 2 winner in the race.

Even so Sovereign Debt is 3lb better off with Mutakayyef for being beaten a length in the Ganton Stakes at York 13 months ago.

The aforementioned pair Mutakayyef and Dutch Connection filled the first two places last year and Gabrial, who finished third, is also among the 14-strong entry this year.

Summer Mile card