Jamie Spencer dreaming of Derby glory on Deauville

He was a high class two year old. He won a Group race at seven furlongs, and then he was second in the Royal Lodge after a couple of months off. Then he was bogged down in the Racing Post Trophy but he came back and ran a career best in the Dante. He came from an outside stall too. Ryan said after the race that he would have liked the leader in the Dante to have carried him a bit further, as he was left in front two and a half out. He would ideally have been given a lead for a furlong further. That was the way the race panned out and he got run down by Wings of Desire. He has to make up a bit of distance with Wings of Desire but I hope all that experience as a two year old will count. It was also his first run of the season and Wings of Desire had already had two runs. That neck between them isn’t much given all of that. My biggest concern is that I’d like to see the ground drying out a bit. He’s out of a Danehill mare and is a beautiful mover so ideally he’d like drier ground.

I’d rather be drawn out a bit, then in 1 to 4. If you are on the inside your die is cast and you have to make use of your horse or you get shuffled back, so an outside draw is better. I’ll have a chat with Aidan and Ryan and Seamus and the lads and see what everyone’s thinking. It’s exciting to be riding a horse that’s so close to the front of the market in the Derby. It’s a very open Derby and so I’m tickled pink.

The Derby is the biggest Flat race in England all year, so it would be nice if he ran a big one. I think he can, I can’t see many chinks in him. The weather is the main thing to keep an eye on.

In the 5.15pm I ride Ladurelli for Paul Cole. He’s a lightly raced horse that won a maiden at Chelmsford towards the end of last year. He then ran OK in his first start in a handicap which is never easy. It’s his first start of the season and he goes there with a nice racing weight. He’s a little bit inexperienced but they are happy with him and it’s a nice place for him to start.

Then in the last race at 5.50pm I ride George Bowen. He’s a six and a half furlong horse really so he might lack the pace for Epsom down the hill but he will be coming home good. He’s crept up the weights which won’t make it easy for him but we’ll give it a shot.

Jamie