Gesture and Spear face top-level tasks

Jamie Spencer rides Secret Gesture - who is owned by Qatar Racing and Newsells Park Stud - in the Gr.1 Beverly D Stakes (17.05 local time, 23.05 in UK) at Arlington Park in America. The race was won last year by the Marco Botti-trained Euro Charline from Stephanie's Kitten - both are in today's line-up - although the Aidan O'Brien-trained Wedding Vow, who was second in the Gr.1 Nassau Stakes on her latest start, could start favourite.

Trainer Ralph Beckett has described Secret Gesture's draw on the outside of the ten-strong field as "lousy", but on the plus side the five-year-old mare handled the flight across the Atlantic without any problems. Kevin Darley, who is representing Qatar Racing at Arlington, said yesterday: "She looks well and bright in herself and after having a hack around the track this morning looks fine. She has been eating and drinking and settling in well."

Qatar Racing's Just The Judge finished third in last year's Beverly D Stakes.

Lightning Spear is in France for tomorrow's Gr.1 Prix du Jacques Le Marois (16.10 local time, 15.10 in UK), sponsored by Haras De Fresnay-le-Buffard. Oisin Murphy rides the Olly Stevens-trained Lightning Spear, who was second to Arod in Ascot's Gr.2 Summer Mile on his latest appearance. Arod franked the form when runner-up to Solow in the Gr.1 Qatar Sussex Stakes, and while Lightning Spear has to produce something special to win, he was certainly unlucky not to get a clearer passage at Ascot.

A 260,000gns purchase by David Redvers, Lightning Spear has run just five times and won four, but in Territories, Karakontie and fellow British raider Toormore he faces some proven Group One performers.

Oisin Murphy: rides at Newbury and Deauville

Soft ground should be no hindrance to Lightning Spear, and any give at Newbury will be very welcome for the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Pallasator, who runs in the Gr.3 Betfred Geoffrey Freer Stakes (14.35) under Murphy. Pallasator ran very poorly at Ascot on his penultimate start, when firm ground was a possible excuse, but he produced a much better effort when fourth to Big Orange in the Goodwood Cup on his most recent run.

Rogue Runner completes the weekend's Stakes-race action for Qatar Racing - the Andreas Wohler-trained three-year-old tackles a Group Three event at Krefeld.