By John Hoskins

IT was 12 months ago that Richard Spencer sprang to public prominence when Rajasinghe took the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Now he has a potential successor in Rumbleinthejungle.

York is closer to his Newmarket base but concerned the colt might be overwhelmed by the preliminaries at York’s major Dante meeting, he opted for the calmer waters of Salisbury yesterday.

“It’s asking a lot for an unraced two-year-old to walk from the stables to the track there and I wanted to give him a nice introduction,” he explained of his choice of venue.

Spencer, who principally served his apprenticeship with Barry and Michael Hills at Lambourn before moving to Michael Bell at headquarters, has a high opinion of Rumbleinthejungle who got home by a head in the opening sprint.

“He’s a very nice horse who has done everything that has been asked of him at home and has natural speed but will get further.”

The two-year-old might now be aimed at the Coventry Stakes next month but Spencer will consult connections and view a recording of yesterday’s race before determining his immediate future.

“A sweet filly” was Ralph Beckett’s description of Time Change after she had ground out a comfortable success in the 10 furlong handicap.- perhaps a trip short of her best.

The three-year-old had undoubtedly improved from her seasonal debut at Windsor leaving Beckett to reflect: “She will definitely come on for this and get further, perhaps another two furlongs and hopefully there is a bit more improvement in her.”

The Kimpton Down trainer looked set for an immediate double when Rock Eagle, promising winner on his debut at Windsor, struck the front but he markedly drifted to the left in the final furlong to be mugged by Dive For Gold.

Much had been expected of John Gosden’s runner at Newmarket but allied to his inexperience, he became unbalanced in the notorious dip and dropped out.

“He had been working well, much better than he showed in the Wood Ditton,” explained winning jockey Robert Havlin. “I thought he was asleep there but today I woke him up! This is his trip but I think in the second half of the season he might get further. There is certainly no rush.”

Little was expected of Tamreer in the second division of the 10 furlong novice stakes who is so buzzy at home that she wear a hood that was naturally retained for her racecourse debut.

“She hasn’t shown and today we didn’t know where we stood with her,” pupil assistant Jamie Insole admitted.

Now they do as she ran out a comfortable two and third quarter lengths winner.

“She settled well going down and at the start,” said Insole. “That was a really good performance and she obviously has an engine.”

However the most impressive winner of the day was the Sir Michael Stoute’s Sun Maiden who toyed with the opposition in the first division of the novice stakes.

It was only a question of how far she won win when Pat Dobbs gave her the office. In the end it was a contemptuous 12 lengths!