Spencer defends Rajasinghe after Coventry hero receives low RPR

Trainer Richard Spencer believes Rajasinghe’s performance on the clock when winning the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot marks him down as a special horse despite the lowly Racing Post Rating he recorded in victory.

Rajasinghe provided Spencer, and owner Phil Cunningham’s Rebel Racing, with a memorable success in the Coventry, overcoming a slow start and a bump to race through in a course record time of 1m 12.39 secs on good to firm going.

While praising Rajasinghe for overcoming adversity to win, Racing Post handicapper Simon Turner rated him the lowest winner of the race since Henrythenavigator in 2007.

Spencer said: “I read in the paper today that they’re putting the race down and saying it’s one of the lesser Coventrys run in the past years.

"At the end of the day he broke the track record and, with a clearer passage and better start, the time would have been even better. To break a track record on his second start on a stage like that is fantastic.”

Having put in a big effort on the clock, Rajasinghe has shown no ill-effects with Spencer impressed with the attitude the juvenile continues to show.

“He’s come out of the race very well and he’s actually 4kg heavier on Friday morning than when he went to the races on Tuesday,” Spencer told At The Races. “He’s eating up – all he does is eat and sleep – and he had a canter Saturday and a canter today and he’s very fresh and well.”

Looking to the future, Spencer nominated the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville in mid-August as a tempting target with scope for action between Royal Ascot and then should Rajasinghe show himself ready for an outing.

He said: “The plans are up in the air. We’ll see how he is this week and we’ll enter him in multiple races. The July meeting is on our radar, there’s Goodwood and there’s even Deauville for the Prix Morny. The horse will tell us when he’s ready to run. He's phenomenal."