St Leger hope Defoe draws Kingston Hill comparisons after win

Andrea Atzeni has won two of the last three St Legers winners and has ridden three of the leading players for this year's race – so he must have a good idea of what it will take to triumph at Doncaster on September 16.

His likely mount in the William Hill-sponsored Classic is the fast-improving Defoe, successful in yesterday's Betfred Geoffrey Freer Stakes and definitely ready for the St Leger, according to his rider, who won the race on Kingston Hill in 2014 and Simple Verse the following year.

Trained by Roger Varian and owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, Defoe, who came across Wall Of Fire in the closing stages to prompt a stewards' inquiry, is as short as 5-1 for the St Leger, although 8-1 is available.