ARDENT followers of trainer Barry Hills have consistently cashed in on his runners at Chester, a trend all set to continue this afternoon via Negligee (3.05), Whale Beach (3.35), Foxcote (4.10), and The Glen (5.10).

Negligee takes on some useful sorts in the six-furlong Combermere Stakes, but having seen her put the pedal to the metal at Salisbury last time, it's going to take a good one to lower her colours.

At 55,000 guineas Negligee did not come cheap, but it is already proving to be money well spent judging by the way she brushed aside Ben Hanbury's Historic Treble at the Wiltshire track

In the following £15,000 Showcase Handicap, Hills is represented by the progressive Whale Beach, denied a clear passage when narrowly beaten in a similar grade event at Epsom this month.

Reasonably well drawn in the six stall, the three-year-old son of Known Fact should have little difficulty handling Chester's tight turns.

Foxcote's (4.10) prospects are equally promising in the Thwaites Smooth Beer Nursery.

The Glen (5.10) needs to defy top-weight if he is to add to the Lambourn handler's tally in the Kemira Agro Handicap. But the task shouldn't be beyond the ultra-game son of Mtoto.

Prior to the expected Hills extravaganza, don't forget to have a shilling or two on Bachelors Pad (2.30) in the Bollinger Champagne Amateur Riders Handicap.

He bids to win the race for the second year in succession, goes well for an inexperienced pilot, and hails from the vastly-underrated Sue Wilton stable.

Consistency has also been the watchword of Ayr-bound Knavesmire Omen (2.20), bidding to lose his maiden tag in the opening race at the west of Scotland course. He was no match for the classy Tramonto at Lingfield recently, fortunately there is unlikely to be anything of the calibre of the latter in today's line-up.

Lennel's reappearance after a 71-day break has to be of interest in the Grant Thornton Handicap.

He was shaping up into a useful miler during the spring, winning twice in decisive fashion at Musselburgh. A sudden slump in his form then persuaded Bishop Auckland-based trainer Denys Smith to give his inmate a couple of months off, and the mini-holiday may well have done the trick and revitalised Lennel.

Finally to Epsom where Physical Force (3.50) is fancied to go one better in the Michael Lonsdale Handicap.