A round-up of the pick of the action from Musselburgh as the 2024 Sky Bet Sunday Series got under way.
Barrak overcame a slightly awkward beginning to make a successful start to his career in the Cure Leukaemia British EBF Novice Stakes.
The Kevin Ryan-trained chestnut is a son of first-season sire Sergei Prokofiev and clearly knew his job, shrugging off an early bump from Winchurch in the stall next door to travel sweetly into the race three-wide off the stands' rail.
Favourite Anthropologist led the way but Tom Eaves' mount tackled him soon after the two-furlong marker and, after edging slightly to his left and doing the market leader no favours, he was kept up to his work to win by three-quarters of a length from the running-on Station X (10/1).
American Affair won the opening Sky Bet For The Fans Handicap by an impressive two and a half lengths.
Trained by Jim Goldie and ridden by Paul Mulrennan, the 4/1 joint-favourite got a bright start from his high draw and initially stayed close to the stands' side rail just in behind the pace-setting Reigning Profit.
With a furlong and a half to travel, Mulrennan switched his mount out towards the centre of the track and the four-year-old took off, kicking clear with half a furlong to travel and coming home in style ahead of Paddy's Day (14/1) and Classy Al (18/1).
Goldie was also celebrating after the Sky Bet Match5 Handicap as Kelpie Grey made most of the running to win gamely under Saffie Osborne, who negotiated an excellent early position despite being posted out in stall 12, and held on to beat Pallas Lord (11/1) and Bell Shot (9/2 favourite).
Apprentice Aidan Keeley delivered Destinado (14/1) to perfection as the six-year-old ran down the game Simple Star in the shadows of the post to claim first prize in the Sky Bet Build A Bet Handicap.
James Owen's charge has been kept busy throughout the winter and put that match practice to good use, flashing home late on the wide outside after Simple Star had initially kicked away from favourite Plus Point inside the final furlong.
Osborne completed a double in the saddle when guiding Equality (10/3 fav) to a narrow victory in the closing Sky Bet Acca Freeze Handicap, the Lambourn raider winning for trainer Charlie Hills.
Karl Burke enjoyed a double on the afternoon himself, Ice Max (15/8) bolting up for the in-form trainer in the Sky Bet Extra Places Every Day Handicap, before Liamarty Dreams (7/2 fav) followed up his Doncaster success in the Sky Bet Request A Bet Handicap.
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