Alan Thomson's Tips: Defoe to enhance his St Leger credentials at Newbury

This tip has expired. Please check our free horse racing tips section of the website to find the most up to date.

DEFOE (2.25) can extend his winning sequence to four in the Betfred Geoffrey Freer Stakes, a Group 3 contest over 1m 5f at Newbury.

Roger Varian promptly announced the St Leger as Defoe’s big target after his charge had readily swatted away Frankuus in the Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton and this should tell us more about his Classic aspirations next month. Soft ground will be right up his street.

Defoe will need to bring his ‘A' game to the races as Frontiersman looks sure to mount a stern challenge. The Godolphin four-year-old is very talented but has his kinks.

Frontiersman threw away a winning chance at Newmarket last time when ducking left under pressure behind Hawkbill and he also hung down the Epsom camber like a broken supermarket trolley when chasing home Highland Reel in the Coronation Cup.

LIBRISA BREEZE (3.35) ran into all sorts of trouble at Glorious Goodwood following a luckless run at Royal Ascot, so he certainly owes his loyal backers a return on their cash in the Betfred Hungerford Stakes.

Robert Winston endured a nightmare trip in the Lennox Stakes, whereas winner Breton Rock enjoyed a clear run down the outside. Winston eventually gave up the ghost and dropped his hands close home, allowing his mount to saunter home in ninth place. Librisa Breeze also had a bumpy passage at Ascot when a running on fourth to The Tin Man in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes and deserves a change of fortune.

Today's Betfred Hungerford Stakes, a Group 2 contest over seven furlongs, doesn't appear quite so competitive.

There should be enough juice in the ground to enable REVEREND JACOBS (4.05) to put his best foot forward in the 1m 4f maiden under Sylvestre De Sousa.

The son of Nathaniel is no world-beater but his second to Glenys The Menace at Chester received a boost when the winner followed up at last Saturday’s Shergar Cup fixture.

Reverend Jacobs split Azaly and Multicultural in a mile maiden (firm) at Haydock in early July. The winner has since finished runner-up in a Newmarket handicap, while Multicultural scored at Yarmouth on Thursday.

The big race at Ripon is the annual 20-runner cavalry charge known as the Great St Wildrid Handicap over six furlongs.

Course form is often invaluable over this undulating Yorkshire track and PIPERS NOTE (3.15) has found his way into the Ripon winners’ enclosure six times.

Ruth Carr's gelding finished fourth to Nameitwhatulike last year and fifth to Out Do back in 2014 (5lb better in here), and has posted excellent placed efforts recently behind Stake Acclaim and Danzeno at Ascot, and Magic Memory at Haydock. With many firms offering five places, he should be supported each-way.

Having backed Growl (fourth) in the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood on unsuitable soft ground, I'll be having a saver on Richard Fahey's top weight.

The field will inevitably split into two groups. Pipers Note is drawn on the far side in stall three, while Growl is boxed in stall 18 and will race up the stands’ side.

At Newmarket, STONE THE CROWS (5.05) is equipped with first-time cheek-pieces after three solid efforts this season.

Roger Charlton's gelding won a Salisbury maiden on firm ground in April and ran a close second to useful Sofia's Rock at Haydock the following month. Stone The Crows found the soft ground against him when chasing home easy winner On To Victory back at Salisbury at the end of June and arrives here a fresh horse.

With warm weather forecast, the track should be riding quite slick and yesterday’s heavily-backed Newbury winner Great Sound finished behind Stone The Crows at Salisbury.

SOLWAY DANDY (4.15) can further enhance his tremendous record at Perth by landing the Class 3 2m 4f handicap hurdle.

Lisa Harrison’s 10-year-old was beaten a neck by Native Optimist over three miles here in July but appreciated the return to 2m 4f at Market Rasen when running out of his skin to finish a close third in a Class 2 event won by Dan Skelton’s Whatzdjazz.

Uttoxeter maiden winner Ahead of The Curve steps into handicap company and is far less exposed than hat-trick seeker Thorpe and the admirable mare Stoneham.