Jamie Spencer looks ahead to Wednesday’s card at Royal Ascot

Jersey Stakes

I think Hamdan will own the winner of the Jersey Stakes with either Muwaary or Mustajeeb. They both bring Classic form to the race. I thought Muwaary did very well in France in the Guineas. It’s a difficult track to ride from an inside draw as you have to use your horse to get a position and then settle. But Muwaary just wouldn’t shut down and relax and he expended a good bit of energy in the first half of the race so I was surprised that stuck on so well. I think going back to 7 furlongs will suit as will racing at Ascot which is a much more conventional course. He’ll be able to settle and run against the gradients so much have a good chance. Obviously Mustajeeb ran well in the Irish Guineas and the heavy ground got to his stamina. If you put a gun to my head I’d say Muwaary would be very hard to beat

Queen Mary Stakes

Tiggy Wiggy has had four runs and is a powerful runner. I was very impressed with her at Sandown where she beat the colts in the National Stakes on heavy ground. She got stuck on the rail, he waited, waited, moved her out and she won very, very easily. She’s the form filly and in essence this is her Derby. She’s been prepped up for this and there’s not much left for her after this because she’s all speed. If it all goes well for her she’ll have a good chance.

Prince Of Wales Stakes

I suppose you’d have to say Treve is a tiny bit vulnerable given what a hard race she had first time up against Cirrus Des Aigles. The Fugue has plenty to prove after Dubai. The one I like is Dank. She’s a typical Stoutey improver. She was very unlucky in Dubai and got no run at all. The way the race is set up, Mukhadram will set a nice pace, the Fugue won’t be far away, Magician won’t be far away and Ryan will be following them. If they all got into a war it could be there for Dank to pick up the pieces. Look, Treve has got 7lbs in hand of the others on the ratings and the handicappers are never that far wrong. 7lbs is a lot and they have still all got her to beat.

Duke of Cambridge Stakes

Purr Along has a bit to find on ratings but she was just ready to start when she went to the Curragh the last day. I suppose Sky Lantern will be hard to beat but she has a 5lb penalty, but giving penalties away in Group races is very hard. It is her first start of the year but she’s the best form so you have to respect her. Integral hasn’t got the same for as Sky Lantern but she gets 5lbs and is in good form so deserves to be favourite. She was unlucky at Newmarket. The race just didn’t pan out as Ryan would have liked but if she’d been drawn nearer to the winner, Esoterique, I think she’d have beaten her. It’s a very interesting race and hopefully Purr Along has an each way chance.
Royal Hunt Cup

Gabrial’s Kaka has a place chance. It’s the type of race he likes as he likes to go fast and come from behind and pick them up. The straight course will suits him as it did when he won at Newbury and hopefully it won’t dry out too much as he likes to get his toe in. I thought Abseil would be quite hard to beat and I presume James Doyle will ride him completely different from Epsom where he never settled and over-raced the whole way. When they do that, they generally hit a wall somewhere in the last furlong and in fairness to the horse he dug in and he toughed it out. The downside is that it was only 12 days ago and he had a hard race but if he settles better in the run he has to have a big chance. I think he will be hard to beat.

Sandringham

I ride Queen Catrine. She had a good draw in the French 1000 Guineas and she also ran over 7 furlongs at Newmarket, and both times we rode her very positively and I’m not so sure she enjoyed it. In France I jumped so fast as I wanted to get a good position but they went no pace and I ended up in front which was not ideal. It’s very hard to make the running in France as they just flash right by you in the last furlong. I think we’ll ride her differently today and she’s the class filly in the race given she has Group 1 form, placed in the Marcel Boussac last year. She’s giving away weight to a lot of unexposed horses but she has a big chance. Crowley’s Law would be the one I’d like to ride if I wasn’t riding Queen Catrine, but I’m very hopeful for my horse.