Beast and Bear join Newmarket's big race line-up

Simple Verse's Ladbrokes St Leger victory - which was regained at the BHA this week on appeal - and wins for Birdcage and Robin's Pearl at Dundalk and Wolverhampton yesterday, tee up hopes that juveniles Beast Mode and Bear Cheek can make a mark on the Rowley Mile today.

The Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained Beast Mode runs in the Gr.2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (14.00) in which he faces five rivals, and aims to build upon a convincing maiden win at Newcastle last month. Today he tries one mile for the first time, but is expected to handle the trip, and the going should suit, too, but in Deauville and Foundation he faces two unbeaten rivals who will be hard to crack.

Bear Cheek, trained by Ger Lyons, is one of eight fillies who are set to line up in the Gr.1 Connolly's RED MILLS Cheveley Park Stakes (2.35), and she too is stepping up in distance. Winner of her first two starts over five furlongs, she was fourth over that trip recently in the Gr.2 Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster, following which it was felt by jockey Andrea Atzeni that an extra furlong would suit. She was supplemented for today's race earlier in the week.

The David Simcock-trained Halation joins the cast at Newmarket when taking his chance in the Betfred Cambridgeshire Handicap (15.50). He is dropping back to a mile today, after being beaten over ten and a half furlongs on his latest start.