Spencer hoping to claim more Fame and Glory in the Gold Cup

He has also celebrated the glory of Flat racing; winning the final contest of a dramatic 2007 season enabled him to share the jockeys’ championship with Seb Sanders.

Now he hopes he can return to the big time today by winning a second successive Ascot Gold Cup – the traditional Ladies Day highlight at the Royal meeting – on the O’Brien-trained Fame and Glory.

A classy winner of the two-and-a-half-mile marathon 12 months ago, a key test for stayers who have aspirations of winning the Qipco-sponsored British Champions Series, Spencer heads to Ascot brimming with confidence.

“Last year, there was still a doubt about whether he would stay the trip until he turned up,” Spencer told the Yorkshire Post in an exclusive interview.

“He beat Opinion Poll by three lengths and he’s the one they have all got to beat. It makes a difference when you know others are worrying about your horse; it gives you extra confidence and that is important in a big race.

“We’re 2 and 0 at Ascot. It was great to follow up the Gold Cup win on Champions Day, but there’s something special about the Gold Cup.

“It’s the longest race but it’s also the one where the Queen presents the prize; that matters to everyone in racing, especially in a Diamond Jubilee year.”

Spencer rides Fame and Glory, instead of O’Brien’s Derby-winning son Joseph, because of a contractual link with Dr Jim Hay, who owns Fame and Glory alongside the Coolmore triumvirate of John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, who have already enjoyed success this year with Triple Crown contender Camelot.

Hay is not short of confidence. He ventured to suggest yesterday that today’s hot favourite could match the achievements of his legendary stablemate Yeats, who won the race on a record four successive occasions from 2006-09, and who was ridden twice to victory at Leopardstown in 2004 by Spencer before coming to prominence.

“The word from Ballydoyle is that they think Fame And Glory is even better than he was last year,” said bullish Hay.

“As long as it’s not extreme conditions, he should run well. To win another would be a dream and, hopefully, we’ll be back again next year maybe. The ambition we’ve got is to be aiming for what Yeats did.”

It will not be easy. Spencer believes Doncaster Cup winner Saddler’s Rock, trained by John Oxx of Sea The Stars fame, will be very hard to beat.

He is also a fan of Colour Vision, who was trained with distinction last season by Middleham’s Mark Johnston before being switched to the Godolphin yard of Saeed bin Suroor.

Last year’s runner-up Opinion Poll also reopposes for Godolphin, with the 2011 Derby-winning jockey Mickael Barzalona in the saddle.

Yorkshire hopes rest with the Johnston-trained Gulf of Naples – Silvestre de Sousa rides the recent Ripon winner – while Malton-based champion jockey Paul Hanagan is on John Gosden’s Neeham.

“There’s probably more depth than 12 months ago,” said Spencer. “Yet what gives more confidence is that Fame and Glory was good enough to be second to Sea The Stars in the Epsom Derby of 2009 – and he turned out to be one of the best horses ever, going on to win an Arc at Longchamp.

“I don’t think any horse has form as good as that. It’s wrong to describe Fame and Glory as just a stayer. Don’t forget he went on to win an Irish Derby after Epsom.”

Spencer is ambivalent about his troubled season at Ballydoyle in 2004 when big-race winners were in short supply. He says he is “more mature” while O’Brien now concedes that his jockey did not have the best horsepower at his disposal.

However, Spencer says he will not be chasing up and down in Britain in the pursuit of a second jockeys’ title – it is the big races, like the Ascot Gold Cup, that count for him.

Still haunted by the draining experience of the title race of five years ago, he added: “I’ve got good trainers like Kevin Ryan near Thirsk.

“There’s no point chasing round the country for bad prize money, and destroying yourself. It’s a big factor for a lot of jockeys – it can actually cost you money with the travelling.

“You’d rather save yourself for the big races, and outside the Classics, they don’t come much bigger than the Ascot Gold Cup. Fame and Glory is one of the best I’ve ridden and there’s nothing to say he can’t win again.”