Two victory on the first day of their British season.

And he had a lucky escape in the stewards’ room afterwards. Though he was adjudged to have used his whip with excessive frequency he was banned for just one day - May 13 - freeing him to ride at York’s Dante meeting which starts 24 hours later.

Spencer, riding in place of Frankie Dettori who was in America for the Kentucky Oaks, was certainly see at his strongest on board 9-1 shot Marienbard, whom he drove from off the pace to lead well inside the final furlong for a neck victory.

Millenary, sent off 9-4 favourite to repeat last year’s win in the mile-and-a-half contest, was second

with Storming Home (5-1) third. Kutub, apparent first-string for the Godolphin team who only arrived back in Newmarket this week, could manage no better than fifth place.

Marienbard has made his name in races over longer distances but Godolphin supremo Sheikh Mohammed stressed: ‘‘His best trip is a mile and a half. He was working well in Dubai and we thought he would run well, though we didn’t expect him to win.

‘‘Kutub always needs a race so he was probably just a bit short.’’

Millenary is likely to be seen next at Royal Ascot.

His trainer John Dunlop said: ‘‘He’s run a smashing race and would have liked a little more give. I think we’ll save him for the Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot.’’

But Storming Home may be aimed at Epsom after an effort which delighted Barry Hills.

‘‘I’m very pleased as my horses haven’t really come yet,’’ the trainer said.

"The Coronation Cup wouldn’t be out of the question - we know he acts round there.’’

Godolphin had narrowly failed to strike with their first British runner of the year in the Pearl And Coutts Newmarket Stakes.

Their runner Moon Ballad led after three furlongs in the mile-and-a-quarter contest, only to be caught close home by Highdown who got the photo-finish verdict by a short head.

The winner was having his first run for trainer Marcus Tregoning, who said: ‘‘That was a good performance and I was very pleased with that.

‘‘We felt a mile and a quarter would suit him really well and he might get a bit further.

‘‘He is not in the Derby but we will give him three weeks before his next run and then he may go to Goodwood for the Predominate Stakes that will give us a good idea how good he is.’’

Moon Ballad had his Derby odds clipped from 50-1 into 33-1 by Victor Chandler.

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.

The winner lifted the spirits of trainer Michael Jarvis, who said: ‘‘She works with Kundooz who ran terribly in the second race he got steamed up and was beaten in the preliminaries.

‘‘We kept Tarfshi in training as she is by Mtoto and she will probably improve a bit.’’

Takes Tutu, galloping-companion of leading Sagitta 2000 Guineas hope Love Regardless, gave Mark Johnston a boost by landing the H & K Commissions Stakes by a neck from Grizedale.

‘‘I was worried about whether he could transfer his all-weather form to turf,’’ the trainer said. ‘‘He had been unlucky twice on turf and I started to wonder if he was just better on the all-weather.’’