ROGER Varian’s Defoe extended his winning sequence to four in the Group 3 Betfred Geoffrey Freer Stakes and quite possibly booked his place in the St Leger.

Unbeaten this season, the Dalakhani colt always seemed to be lobbing along here, although Andrea Atzeni let him wander in the closing stages, prompting a stewards’ inquiry, before Defoe stretched out again under hands and heels to hold Wall Of Fire by three-parts with the disappointing Frontiersman a modest third.

The filly To Eternity made much of the running but weakened in the soft ground as Godolphin’s Frontiersman challenged towards the stands’ side, followed through by the winner.

Either Frontiersman, runner-up in the Coronation Cup, is a horse without a trip or he simply lacks heart; many will conclude the latter as he cocked his jaw and found little.

Atzeni swept past and looked about to win comfortably but Josephine Gordon and Wall Of Fire, trying to challenge on his inner, were short of room and had to be switched around him.

Professional stewarding is on its way but last week’s panel soon decided that the result should stand, although the caution for Atzeni was justified. Favourite backers were paid out at 13/8, the late flurry of money for Frontiersman (15/8) making his irresolute display even harder to bear for his supporters.

“That was impressive,” Atzeni said of Defoe. “He’s very laid back, travelled beautifully and you wouldn’t think he’d had a race. He’s definitely the type for the St Leger and he stays very well.”

Bookmakers varied in their reaction to Saturday’s effort. As low as 5/1 in places for the final classic, 8/1 could still be found with some of the big firms.

The form as it stands may not be quite good enough but Defoe does most things very easily indeed and should not be underestimated, especially if there is plenty of cut in the ground.

GAMAN THE GALLANT

This is the time of year when late-developing juveniles are preferred in the market to battle-hardened ones in prestigious contests but no one told James’ Tate’s Hey Gaman that before the Listed Denford Stakes, the former Washington Singer, over seven furlongs.

A great big horse by New Approach, Hey Gaman (100/30) made every yard in the soft ground and hit a fierce headwind in the straight but battled on heroically for Martin Harley to deny Goldolphin’s 9/4 favourite Red Mist by a short-head. This took his winning tally to three out of six and he may step up in class.

“He’s a big beast of a horse,” Tate said with a grin. “He’s strong and brave and nothing could get to him. A seven-furlong group race will be next and he’ll get a mile next year but I wouldn’t want ground without the word ‘soft’ in the description.”

There was a market move for William Haggas’ Learn By Heart but he could finish only fourth.

The trainer was far from dismayed, especially as Squats, rediscovering his best form, found a rare burst to take the Ladies Day seven-furlong handicap at 7/1. Stable-companion Mam’Selle, 11/8 favourite, followed up in the Betfred Ladies Derby in the hands of Carol Bartley.