Spencer has faith that Pearl Secret can sprint home at Royal Ascot

Although the Thirsk-trained horse was a well-beaten ninth in York’s Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes last August, his last racecourse appearance, the four-year-old’s work on the gallops in North Yorkshire has sufficiently impressed Spencer ahead of today’s five-furlong King’s Stand Stakes – one of three Group One races.

As retained rider to leading owner Sheikh Fahad, Spencer could have ridden the Robert Cowell-trained Spirit Quartz, who was second in the Nunthorpe before winning a Group Two event at Chantilly on his latest start.

Asked if it was a difficult choice for Spencer, Fahad’s racing manager, David Redvers, said: “I don’t think it was actually, no. Jamie rode Pearl Secret in a pretty serious piece of work last week and he really couldn’t have been more impressed.

“It’s obviously a huge call running him in a race like this first time out, but the only two opportunities we’ve had to run him was on the road (fast ground) and being by Compton Place, that’s not what he wants.

“David Barron is keen to run him, he should get his ground and we think he is going to run a very big race. Spirit Quartz is a very good horse and incredibly consistent, but he might fall just short at the very top level. The ground will suit him as well and hopefully he’ll run a good race.”

The meeting begins with the Queen Anne Stakes, a mile race for older horses, when America’s Animal Kingdom, a former Kentucky Derby winner, attempts to live up to the hype as the best racehorse in the world following the retirement of Frankel, last year’s victor.

After trailing home last in the Epsom Derby, Jim Bolger’s 2000 Guineas winner Dawn Approach will be looking to restore his reputation in the St James’s Palace Stakes, a one-mile race for three-year-olds.

The biggest threat comes from Aidan O’Brien’s Irish 2000 Guineas winner Magician, who has been declared fit after an injury scare. With doubts surrounding both market leaders, there is every prospect of Richard Hannon’s Toronado springing a surprise – especially as there appear to be valid reasons for his Guineas defeat.

North Yorkshire jockey Phil Makin is bullish about Sleeper King’s chances in the Windsor Castle Stakes for two-year-olds.

He believes trainer Kevin Ryan’s young prospect is a more progressive horse than stablemate Hototo who prevailed in the corresponding contest 12 months ago.