Former champion jockey Jamie Spencer is set to ride on a more regular basis for Paul Cole’s Whatcombe stables, near Wantage, this Flat season.

The 29-year-old Irishman, who shared the title with Seb Sanders three years ago, has been signed up by one of Cole’s leading owners – Dubai-based businessman Dr Jim Hay – to ride as his retainer.

The news was revealed in a statement on the trainer’s website, Paul Cole Racing, which said: “We are thrilled to announce that Dr Jim Hay has employed leading jockey Jamie Spencer to ride as his retainer for the coming season.

“There are few better than Spencer, who was champion in 2007. He’s had a great career already, at one point riding for the revelation that is Aidan O’Brien, winning a race at the Cheltenham Festival, and riding a Classic winner while still a teenager.

“He will be riding all the Hay horses that we have in the yard, plus a few for other owners.

“With a top-class jockey signed up, we have high hopes that this could be a season to remember.”

Hay’s string, who run in his wife Fitri’s colours, with Cole include the smart older horses Traffic Guard and Serva Jugum and the promising three-year-old Mata Keranjang.

Traffic Guard romped home by eight lengths in a Listed race at Windsor in 2009, while Serva Jugum ended the campaign by finishing second to subsequent Champion Stakes winner Twice Over at Doncaster.

Mata Keranjang is one of the best maidens in the country, having finished second to Xtension in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.

With the Hays’ backing, Cole, who heads to Miami on Friday for another buying trip at the Calder Breeze Ups, has had a lot more ammunition at the sales.

He has already purchased for the owner what he believes will be some nice two-year-olds for this season.

These include Already Basking, Diamond Penny and Tinkertown, who are all expected to be early types, while Argocat, No Heretic and Strategic Bid won’t be seen until later on.