After a short break following his Newmarket triumph, William Haggas’ Bunbury Cup winner More Thunder returns to action for the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes – live on Sky Sports Racing.

3.35 Newbury – More Thunder and Spy Chief lock horns

More Thunder and Spy Chief top a classy field of 10 for the Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes.

William Haggas has found the key to More Thunder this season, dropping him back to sprint trips has seen him score on three of his four starts. This progressive four-year-old has risen from a rating of 87 to 103 and could be set for a first Group success under Tom Marquand after his Bunbury Cup triumph at Newmarket.

Spy Chief built on his novice form when finishing second in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot before running a respectable race when dropped to six furlongs in the July Cup. He should be more at home back at this seven-furlong distance and rates a huge danger under Robert Havlin.

Lennox winner Witness Stand shoulders a penalty under Billy Loughnane, while Rage Of Bamby and King’s Gamble reoppose having finished in the first two in the Hackwood Stakes.

1.50 Newbury – Progressive Pinhole faces Epic Poet & Candleford

The opening Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Geoffrey Freer Stakes looks a tricky puzzle to solve despite a small field.

Ralph Beckett’s Pinhole will be popular after he bounced back to land a handicap at Ascot on his last outing and warrants respect as he heads back up in Grade. A full-brother to Quadrilateral, this lad steps slightly up in trip under Colin Keane.

The William Haggas-trained Candleford is a solid performer at Listed and Group 3 level but struggled to cope with stablemate Al Aasy at Goodwood and might have to settle for minor honours again.

Epic Poet ran a career best to chase home Rebel’s Romance in the Yorkshire Cup on his penultimate run before struggling to get involved in the Hardwicke Stakes. Given a break since, he could be involved under Danny Tudhope.

3.20 Ripon – Rousing Encore & Mister Sox headline

A typically competitive renewal of the William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon sees Rousing Encore headline 16 runners.

Ruth Carr’s five-year-old ran a screamer when finishing a narrow fourth at York last month and rates a big player off the same mark here.

Mister Sox beat several of these rivals when successful over this course and distance 12 days ago and he will be fancied to record a third course success under Duran Fentiman.

Kodiac Thriller, Rock Opera and Secret Guest complete the shortlist.

Best of the rest

Newbury’s card gets underway with Getreadytorumble headlining the latest renewal of the 2.25pm D&H, Excellence In Nutrition Handicap. The Tom Marquand and Jack Channon combination won this race with Desperate Hero in 2023 and look well-placed to repeat the feat with this lad, who has proven his ability to act on any surface.

Classic (Richard Hannon) and Jumby (Clive Cox) hold claims for the 3pm TPT Fire Handicap, whilst the well-handicapped Cogitate enters each-way calculations for Charlie Hills, despite not performing to his maximum thus far this term.

In the card’s finale, Skimmer and Hopewell Rock put their unbeaten records on the line over the mile-and-two-furlongs trip in the Grosvenor Sport Double Odds Handicap.

At Ripon, the 2.10pm Racing For Tamara Ripon Hornblower EBF Novice Stakes looks a tasty contest, with debut course and distance winner Al Shaham taking on a trio of rivals. Later on at Bath, the BetWright Bet The Wright Way Handicap is the stage for Ed de Giles’ Trojan Truth‘s four-timer bid.

On the continent, Deauville hosts a classy card with Simmering and Polyvega taking each other on in the 12.58pm Prix de Lieurey before the feature Group 2 Prix Guillaume D’Ornano. French Derby runner-up Cualificar will be fancied for Andre Fabre, whilst 2024 Coventry Stakes winner Rashabar is of interest for British viewers.

There’s also plenty happening across the Atlantic, with William Buick making the trip to Woodbine to ride Diamond Rain in the Grade 1 E P Taylor Stakes. The highlight of Saratoga’s card is a battle between Good Cheer and La Cara in the Alabama Stakes before the Del Mar Oaks goes off in the early hours (1.30am).