ONE of the leading girl bands in the country will kick off a premium series of music events in Suffolk.The first of the popular Newmarket Nights this year will be headlined by chart topping trio Sugababes who, subject to contract, are expected to grace the horseracing venue on June 18.

ONE of the leading girl bands in the country will kick off a premium series of music events in Suffolk.

The first of the popular Newmarket Nights this year will be headlined by chart topping trio Sugababes who, subject to contract, are expected to grace the horseracing venue on June 18.

The Brit award nominees are the first of two pop sensations being chased by the organisers after the sell out success of Liberty X and Atomic Kitten last year.

Mystery still surrounds the other acts being lined up for the seven nights, where music is combined with horse racing in June.

Hopes of securing singing sensation Daniel Bedingfield appear to have been dashed after he suffered a near fatal car crash in New Zealand.

Marketing manager Gaynor Haxby revealed to the EADT she had wanted Bedingfield before he suffered a broken neck in the accident on January 2.

Bedingfield, whose hits including Gotta Get Thru This and If Your Not The One shot him to stardom as one of Britain's leading solo singers, is expected to stay with family in New Zealand for the next few months - which should rule him out of the events.

But there was more success in securing the Sugababes who are now regarded as one of the top pop acts in the country following their recent number one Hole In The Head and also Lost In You, taken from the soundtrack of Love Actually.

Ms Haxby said: “The Sugababes would be a massive boost for Newmarket nights and they would be a great way to kick off the season.

“We have sent an agent a big shopping list of acts who we think would work. I would say the Sugababes are the best girl band in the pop world at the moment and they are a really hot act for us to have.

“As Atomic Kitten proved last year, the Sugababes will attract a sell out crowd. They are very popular and very big at the moment.”

The girls, Keisha Buchanan, Mutyan Buena and Heidi Range, have performed at Glastonbury, won a Brit Award and a Smash Hits award and enjoyed two UK number one singles. Their third album, Three, has sold more than 1.5 million copies.

Organisers will now be turning their attentions to securing further acts after more than 100,000 people flocked to the nights last year - ensuring four sell outs and prompting organisers to put on a further night this year.

Regular racecourse entertainer Jools Holland is believed to be on a shopping list of musical talents drawn up by the organisers.

Ms Haxby preferred not to divulge any more headline acts and added: “We are looking for a mixture of acts to cover the seven nights this year. We always try and get a good mix to broaden the appeal.