Jamie Spencer hopeful Monteverdi can run a big race at York

Buckstay ran a massive race on Saturday at Ascot. It’s incredible to think he was once rated 78 and couldn’t win off that mark and now he’ll be rated 109. It’s unreal how he’s improved so much. I imagine he’ll run once more in a handicap at Royal Ascot and then it will be races like the Lennox at Goodwood and similar-type Group races for the rest of the season. He’s suited by the strong pace of these big handicaps. He likes going a good gallop and when they are stopping in front of him, but until you run him in one of those Group races you don’t know how he’ll go in them.

I’m looking forward to York. The second day is probably the better of the two days I’m riding there, as I have better chances that day.

My first ride on day one is in the Duke Of York on Goken for Kevin at 3.15. He won his first start for Kevin at Lingfield and then ran well when he finished third back around there earlier this season. He was then a bit disappointing last time at Newmarket back over five furlongs. I don’t know if the pace was too strong from him that day? It’s hard to say. Hopefully he can run a bit better this time. It will be his first time over six furlongs on a straight track for Kevin so it will be a finding out mission too. It looks a strong race with Magical Memory a leading contender,

I’m on Australian Queen for David Elsworth in the Musidora at 3.45. She was a bit disappointing in the Pretty Polly last time but in fairness they went very slow, and she was dropped in off that slow pace. I’m guessing they will want to ride her more positive today. She has a lot to find but David likes the filly, and thinks there is a good filly in there somewhere. You have to respect that. So Mi Dar looks the one to beat. She was good at Epsom.

In the 4.20 I ride Monteverdi. We have an outside draw and we are stepping up a furlong but I am of the opinion, given he’s a good mover, that better ground would be a help to him. I think they may have a couple of showers overnight but other than that there isn’t much rain about so fingers crossed he can go and run a big race. It’s a warm race. Chief Whip ran a nice race at Sandown last time and Abe Lincoln is running off a mark of 93 having been very unlucky in a Listed race last time. So it’s a strong race that will probably have a bearing on the Britannia at Royal Ascot. From where I’m drawn I’m just going to have to take my medicine and take back a bit in the field. But to be fair he has won at six and a half furlongs, and had a run over six, so he’s not short of pace, and with the amount of runners it should be a strong gallop. We’ll just have to see how it all pans out but from stall 18 you can’t really make many plans.

In the 4.50 I ride Hemingway on his debut. He’s by Dragon Pulse out of a mare that stayed reasonably well. Kevin likes to introduce horses at this meeting. I haven’t sat on him but the fact that he’s running means he must have been showing something at home. Kevin will give me an indication today of how he’s been working and what he’s hoping for. I’ve only ridden a couple of two year olds for Kevin this year and both of them were second at the Craven meeting so they seem to be going well.

In the last at 5.20 I ride Life Less Ordinary. He’s a bit of an enigma. He’s hankered around on the same rating for a while. We are going to try something different and ride him more positive, closer to the pace, and see if that has an effect. I think the thing that will suit him is the flat track. He finds it easy to get unbalanced so with that in mind this track should suit him better.