/ Editor / 11 June 2007 /

Jamie Spencer has been booked to ride Geordieland at Royal Ascot's Gold Cup on Thursday week.

Jamie Osborne's six-year-old, who flopped Down Under when well beaten in the 2006 Melbourne Cup, had previously put up a much better effort by chasing home the reigning Ascot Gold Cup holder, Yeats, in last year's Goodwood Cup.

There was also plenty of encouragement to be gleaned from Geordieland's latest start at York where he finished a gallant three-quarter length runner-up to Sergeant Cecil in the Yorkshire Cup.

"The crown belongs to Yeats, but he's there to be shot at. My fellow can improve out of his Yorkshire Cup run over a trip that will suit him better, while Jamie (Spencer) has ridden him a couple of times this year and knows him well," explained Osborne.

Yeats, bidding for back-to-back wins in the race for trainer, Aidan O'Brien, is currently a red-hot favourite for the Group 1 staying feature on the Betfair ante-post market at 1.83.

Sergeant Cecil (6.2) is second best, while Geordieland is available to be matched at 20.

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