Jamie Spencer looks ahead to a brilliant card at Longchamp

Longchamp – Sunday

The Prix De L’Abbaye is a brilliant race. I ride Pearl Secret and he’s drawn high in 13 but given the good ground I’m not sure that the draw will turn out to be such a big deal. There is plenty of pace drawn high with the likes of Cotai Glory (16) and Spirit Quartz (18) so the middle may be the best place to be. Sole Power is going to be hard to beat. He can go right or left depending on where the pace is and I think he’ll win. The race will be set up perfectly for him.

In the Prix Marcel Boussac I like the top one, Ervedya. Her dam won a couple of races over ten furlongs so stamina is not a worry. She took on The Wow Signal and Hootenanny at Deauville in the Prix Morny over six and a half furlongs but this step up in trip should suit. She has so much class and is nailed on to stay. None of the opposition have form as good as her.

In the Jean Luc Lagardere I have no doubt that The Wow Signal looks likely to be suited better by the seven furlongs. I’ve been really impressed though with Gleneagles. he’s by Galileo and just keeps improving without ever being extended. With him I think the better the race the better he’ll be. The Wow Signal is keen and will probably go forward in the race and that could suit Gleneagles. I marginally prefer Gleneagles over The Wow Signal.

Tarfasha will be tough to beat in the Prix De L’Opera. She has won both her starts over ten furlongs and though she’s run well at a mile and a half I’m sure this ten furlong trip is her best distance. The ground won’t be soft enough for Ribbons and it was a weak Nassau that Sultanina won. Neither filly should be good enough. I think Tarfasha will win.

Gordon Lord Byron may be a bit hit and miss on the win front but he always runs his race. I watched him work on TV the other day and he looked really well. It has been a long season for him but his form hasn’t deteriorated at all. He won the race two years ago and was second last year and can win the race again.

I’m looking forward to the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe and especially to Ectot. He made a big run to get to the front last time and he was entitled to get a bit tired at the end. His pedigree screams stamina being by Hurricane Run out of a Linamix mare and I’m sure he’ll stay. I’m sure he’s a very, very good horse and the better quality race will bring out the best in him especially as the Arc should be a truly run race. It’s very hard to work out which of the Japanese horses will run best. Just The Way was mighty impressive in Dubai earlier in the year but will he stay? He showed so much speed.