Spencer is hoping return to Ascot can aid in his title bid

Sep 29 2007 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

CHAMPIONSHIP-chasing Jamie Spencer is hoping to add to his winner total when partnering Excellent Art in this afternoon’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

The Irish jockey is two clear of Seb Sanders in the race for the jockeys’ title thanks to Best Prospect’s victory at Haydock Park yesterday.

But Spencer is confident Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old can add to that total back at Ascot, where the duo won over course and distance in the St James’s Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting in June.

O’Brien’s colt has come in for plenty of support from punters since stable-mate George Washington was declared as a non-runner. He has now usurped French filly Darjina as favourite with several bookmakers for this afternoon’s one-mile Group One contest.

And Spencer is confident the Pivotal colt can also reverse form with Godolphin’s Ramonti, who just denied him in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last month.

Spencer said: “Back to Ascot should be a big help and the ground should be nice for him, on the slow side of good. He’s shown he can handle that before – the ground’s never a massive worry with that horse.”

Ascot report the ground to be soft on the round mile course.

Frankie Dettori is equally hopeful of landing victory on Ramonti, alomost 11 years to the day since he scored his ‘Magnificent Seven’ winners. The Italian said: “Ramonti has been a wonderful horse. He has run four times in Group Ones and has won two. He is a very hard horse, very courageous and this race will probably settle the mile championship. Hopefully he will run a solid race again.”

WEEKEND NAPS: TODAY: Coconut Moon (5.10pm Chester). TOMORROW: Haatef (4.20pm Ascot).