The recent G3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes winner has been added to the £100,000 prize having come out of his Newbury exertions in fine form, while the wet forecast for the early part of this week suggests he will encounter ground with some ease in it.

Roger said: “I have been delighted with Defoe following his Newbury win and it was the ideal seasonal reappearance as he didn’t have a hard race. He holds an entry in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the end of May, but he seems so well in himself it seems prudent to run him while ground conditions are set to be in his favour. I am very grateful that Sheikh Mohammed Obaid has agreed to pay the supplementary fee and I am very excited about running the horse on Saturday.”

Defoe enjoyed a fine campaign as a three-year-old, winning four of his five outings, and he made the perfect start to his four-year-old career with a facile two and a half-length success over Danehill Kodiac nine days ago. This will be his first start at Group Two level and he will be partnered by regular rider Andrea Atzeni.