Jamie Spencer: “Spanish Mission has a leading form chance and is a guaranteed stayer”

Belmont – Saturday

10.15pm

Love So Deep

I ride Love So Deep in this $750,000 1m3f contest and she looks to hold strong claims to me. Crucially, she is a guaranteed stayer, which many of these aren’t, and she is an improving filly, too. She is ground-versatile, having won a Listed race over 1m4f on fast ground, and she just got nailed on the line in a Group 2 on heavy at Deauville last time. She is a progressive filly with an obvious chance.

10.47pm

Spanish Mission

It is currently quick ground at Belmont, which is how we would like it to stay for Spanish Mission. But the East Coast weather is notoriously changeable at this time of the year, so let’s hope it stays that way. Belmont is a lovely, big galloping track, with a long straight, which should really suit my horse. He has a leading form chance going into the race on his Bahrain Trophy win and his narrow Gordon Stakes third under a penalty, and he should be primed to run a big race here over 1m4f. I have only sat on him once since Goodwood but he is an easy horse to train, so he will be fine. Of the home team, A Thread Of Blue looks the one to fear after his Saratoga win last time – Aidan’s Cape Of Good Hope was back in third – but he does have his stamina to prove, like a few others. I’m obviously on a guaranteed stayer.

Longchamp – Sunday

2.50pm

Phoenix Of Spain

He was obviously pretty sensational in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and on that form has a major chance here. There were excuses at Ascot as he came back sore, but Goodwood had us scratching our heads a bit. But that’s horses for you sometimes, and he seemed sharp and well when I sat on him 10 days ago, so let’s hope he can recapture that Curragh brilliance. He has a big chance if he does as this is a winnable Group 1. We probably have Circus Maximus, stepping back to a mile, as the main one to beat again here, though clearly you have to respect the likes of Romanised and other improvers.