It looks like being a good weekend for Spencer

He also won the Directa Gaffa Maiden Stakes on Ludynosa for Luca Cumani.

The only disappointment of Spencer's day was picking up a one-day ban after the stewards ruled that he had used his whip with excessive frequency on Marienbard.

The five-year-old colt had been thought to be Godolphin's second string in the Jockey Club Stakes with the more fancied Kutub coming home fifth.

Godolphin supremo Sheikh Mohammed admitted that the win was a surprise.

Right distance

"He was working well in Dubai and we thought he would run well, though we didn't expect him to win."

But although Marienbard has made his name in races over longer distances, Godolphin felt the Jockey Club Stakes trip was ideal.

"His best trip is a mile and a half," said Sheikh Mohammed.

Godolphin had just missed out in the previous race with their first runner of the new season in Britain.

Moon Ballad was caught close to home by Highdown in the Pearl and Coutts Newmarket Stakes and the latter horse got the photo-finish verdict by a short head.

And there was another second place for Godolphin when 4-6 favourite Spring Oak went down by a length and three quarters to 10-1 shot Tarfshi in the Directa Parseal Dahlia Stakes.

Mark Johnston's Takes Tutu won the H&K Commissions Stakes, giving Keith Dalgleish, runner-up in last year's apprentice championship, his seventh winner of the season.