Tag Archive for: Tom Marquand

Merchant overcomes wide draw for King George V glory

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Tom Marquand extricated himself from a difficult position to win the King George V Stakes on Merchant for William Haggas.

Drawn in stall 20, Marquand had chosen to drop in behind horses while Ryan Moore on Serious Contender, who was also posted out wide, opted to go forward.

Moore was still in front as they entered the final furlong but Merchant picked up well to defy an 8lb rise for winning at York last time out and justify 3-1 favouritism by a length, with Pantile Warrior a further neck back in third.

“It was difficult to watch because all I was watching was the time per furlong and they set off like scalded cats,” said Haggas.

“I then thought they hadn’t gone fast enough because in every race this week on the round track, they’ve gone so fast and everything has come off the speed.

“He was plenty far back and I knew when he turned for home he’d be able to sit a bit, I knew he’d come home. I was really pleased with him.

“You hope (they are good enough). He’s clearly progressive and I’m afraid I don’t know how far he will go. It’s extremely exciting.”

Arabian Story provided Saeed bin Suroor with a 40th Royal Ascot winner in a dramatic finish to the Britannia Stakes.

Having just the fourth run of his life and his first on turf, the 15-2 chance had to be brave under Oisin Murphy.

La Botte and Fearnot both threw down late challenges but it was Arabian Story who prevailed by a neck and a head.

Bin Suroor said: “We took him to Dubai and physically he improved a lot. He always works well in the morning and I said to Oisin keep him handy and he gave him a great ride. Oisin is the best – he is world-class and one of the best around.

“He is still improving and it was only his second race in the UK. We’ll have to maybe find a Group race for him now and Oisin said he is definitely a Group horse.

“He’s good at the mile but he could go further, maybe up to a mile and a quarter.”

Never So Brave, trained by the now-retired Sir Michael Stoute in his early days, then provided Murphy with a double in the Buckingham Palace Stakes.

Now with Andrew Balding, the 4-1 favourite positively shot clear once a gap appeared on the rail and triumphed by two and a quarter lengths.

Akkadian Thunder ran on for second, with Holguin a further two and a quarter lengths back in third.

It was Balding’s 13th winner at the meeting and he said: “He’s a really lovely horse and I think gelding him over the winter has helped him and improved him.

“Sir Michael always had a high opinion of him and he ran here in the Jersey Stakes last year, so I think he was probably a Group horse in a handicap today.

“He settled well today and I think the key is to get him to relax early in his races. He has an excellent turn of foot when you can get him to do that.”

Hamish shows plenty of heart for Tapster triumph

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Popular veteran Hamish proved the fire still burns bright by coming out on top in a thrilling three-way tussle for the BetGoodwin Tapster Stakes at Goodwood.

The William Haggas-trained gelding had won 12 of his 24 previous starts, with eight of those victories coming at Group Three level.

Making his first appearance as a nine-year-old, having been off the track since landing a Listed prize at the Curragh in November, Hamish was an even-money favourite in the hands of Tom Marquand and while he proved difficult to handle before the off, he was as his usual professional self during the race itself.

German Derby winner Palladium, making his first appearance for John and Thady Gosden after winning his only start over hurdles for Nicky Henderson, put up a bold show from the front, while his stablemate Military Academy was also right in there pitching in the closing stages of the mile-and-a-half Listed contest.

There was little to choose between the Gosden pair and Hamish racing inside the last half-furlong, but it was the latter who found most for pressure in the rain-softened ground to prevail by a neck from Military Academy, with Palladium just a head further behind in third.

On his pre-race antics, Maureen Haggas, assistant to her husband, told Racing TV: “He sat on a car the other day, apparently! I was away for a day, ‘Tinks’ (Andrew Tinkler) rode him and he was very apologetic the next day that he’d wrapped him around a car and a gate post!

“We introduced a pony after he ran at Goodwood two years ago and he’s been pretty good everywhere until today, where he was absolutely appalling again! The tack fell off about four times, eventually we managed to get it on and keep it on and once he was moving he was fine.

“He was pretty naughty at the start, but he has been crying out for a race for a long time and he needs soft ground. He’s been ready to go since the John Porter which was the middle of April, so he’s just pretty bored now and needed a day out.”

Maureen Haggas rides Hamish almost every day at home
Maureen Haggas rides Hamish almost every day at home (Mike Egerton/PA)

She added: “He’s not the easiest at home in that he can only go certain places, so you can’t even vary his exercise because there’s only two canters that he will ever go on. He likes routine, but he has got a little bit bored and he’s not the sort you can take for a day out either as that blows his brains.

“He still feels great. I ride him every day and he doesn’t feel like a nine-year-old, just the last two weeks you can see him looking at me saying ‘what on earth are we doing this for’. It’s good he’s had a day out to remind him what it’s all about.”

The Owen Burrows-trained Waardah (7-1) powered clear to claim top honours in the other Listed race on the card – the Weatherbys/British EBF Agnes Keyser Fillies’ Stakes.

The three-year-old won on her Sandown debut in September and while she had since finished out of the places at Newmarket and Southwell, she looked to relish this step up to a mile and a quarter, finishing strongly under Callum Rodriguez to seal a two-and-three-quarter-length verdict.

Owen Burrows was delighted with the victory of Waardah
Owen Burrows was delighted with the victory of Waardah (Mike Egerton/PA)

Burrows said: “She’s always been a filly we liked and hoped she could do something like that.

“I’ll be honest, I half pencilled her in for Sandown next week in a handicap, but I saw the forecast and thought it would be worth giving her an entry in this and luckily the rain came.

“I think soft ground is probably important to her. She won first time up last year on soft ground and didn’t run bad over a mile next time when she didn’t really handle Newmarket’s undulations.

“Coming to somewhere like here, that is always in the back of your mind, but she relaxed well and got into a nice rhythm and I thought the further she was going the better and if anything Callum said he struggled to pull her up, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we go a bit further again at some stage.

“We’ll just have to see what our summer weather does, but she’s certainly one that going into the autumn we should have a bit of fun with.”

Big Mojo back with a bang at Ascot

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Big Mojo booked his ticket to Royal Ascot with a comeback victory in the eventmasters.co.uk Commonwealth Cup Trial – but which sprint he ultimately lines up in remains to be seen.

Mick Appleby’s colt mixed it with the best as a juvenile last season, emulating his illustrious stablemate Big Evs by winning the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood before running with credit in the Gimcrack at York, the Flying Childers at Doncaster and at the Breeders’ Cup.

Racing over six furlongs for only a second time on his first start as a three-year-old, Big Mojo was a 4-1 shot under Tom Marquand and while he hung across the track after being produced with his challenge, he found plenty for pressure to score by half a length from Diablo Rojo.

Paddy Power trimmed the winner’s odds for the Commonwealth Cup to 14-1 from 25-1 and a return to the Berkshire circuit is firmly on the agenda – but a drop back to five furlongs for the King Charles III Stakes, in which Big Evs finished third against his elders last year, is a potential alternative.

“That (King Charles) would be more the likely way we’d go down, I would think. (But) he is in both races,” Appleby told Sky Sports Racing.

“It’s always a concern when you’ve got a decent two-year-old, whether they’ve trained on, but at home he looked like he had – he’s been working really well against some of the older horses.

“I’m really delighted with him.”

Marquand suggested he was in favour of a drop back to the minimum trip, saying: “He’s a very good horse, he showed that last year and I think it’s just changed him a little bit as a type as well – the second I even went to think about going this lad was up and away, which is something he didn’t do last year in quite the same manner.

“I thought that was a good performance, he’s done well to go and win and I feel like on a track like Ascot, where you’re going to get tempo and he doesn’t lack early speed or the ability to travel, over five (furlongs) he could be lethal here.

“On the right track I still think six furlongs is correct for him, but Ascot being Ascot, it (going back to five furlongs) is definitely a strong possibility.”

Dubai Honour shows his class in Australia once again

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William Haggas was delighted to see Dubai Honour maintain his unbeaten record in Australia with victory in the Tancred Stakes at Rosehill on Tuesday.

The globetrotting seven-year-old landed the Ranvet Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on his previous trip to the Southern Hemisphere two years ago and returned fresh from finishing second to Marco Botti’s Giavellotto in the Hong Kong Vase in December.

Bidding for his fourth Group One success overall, having last summer claimed a first top-level win in Europe in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Dubai Honour quickened up smartly to grab the lead under Tom Marquand and passed the post three-quarters of a length in front.

Former Dermot Weld inmate Duke De Sessa filled the runner-up spot, with Vauban – a high-class performer under both codes for Willie Mullins before moving to Australia – back in third in a meeting held over from the weekend due to rain.

Haggas proudly watched on from his Newmarket base and said: “It was marvellous and he ran brilliantly.

“It was a very competitive race with all the right horses to the fore but he was better than them on the day and he was fantastic.

“He’s remarkably consistent and that’s down to Issy Paul who treats him like her child. She rides him every day and takes him abroad every time he runs and does a terrific job.”

Dubai Honour has been a star for the Haggas team
Dubai Honour has been a star for the Haggas team (Adam Davy/PA)

Dubai Honour will now bid to regain his crown in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on Saturday week, a race Haggas also won twice with the globetrotting Addeybb in 2020 and 2021.

His biggest threat appears to be Chris Waller’s superstar mare Via Sistina, formerly trained in Britain by George Boughey, but Haggas is up for the challenge.

He added: “Absolutely it will be the Queen Elizabeth Stakes next. It’s unfortunate we’ve got a bit less time but he’s a seven-year-old and providing he is OK he will run again on Saturday week.”

Tom Marquand straight back to winning ways on domestic return

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Tom Marquand returned to domestic action in style at Kempton Park following his stint in Japan, scoring on his first ride back on Coul Angel before adding a winner in the colours of the King and Queen.

Sent off a 7-1 chance in the Unibet Supports Safer Gambling Novice Stakes, Marquand was teaming up with Mick Appleby, who provided him with multiple big-race wins on the now-retired Big Evs, who carried the same colours.

He quickly followed up aboard William Haggas’ 5-6 favourite Purple Rainbow, who carried the royal silks to victory in the first division of the Free Bet With Unibet’s Betbuilder Rebound Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

Marquand has spent the past three winters riding in Japan with his wife Hollie Doyle – and rode six winners over his final weekend, including a Listed winner.

“It’s nice to come home, it’s been a while. It was a great trip, successful, and I ended up leaving on 21 winners which just chinned my last year’s tally,” he told Racing TV.

“I found some good horses to ride, which is what you always want, and as they’ve shown on the global stage they are so strong, so to experience some of the classy horses there is a treat.

“It’s tough to get into, so while we both qualify it’s a fantastic place to go.

“It comes off the back of a busy season which makes it tough for the first few weeks as the weights are pretty light, but the change in tempo is pretty nice. It’s intense while you’re racing, but in the week you get a chance to breathe.

“It’s nice not sitting in the car for multiple hours a day for a few months in the year.”

Marquand felt the standard of horse he was entrusted with this season was of a higher calibre and he will be racking up the air miles again soon.

He said: “The quality of horse (I rode) definitely rose at the back end of this trip so it was nice to get those opportunities, this weekend I won a Listed race on a proper Group-level horse, that’s fun anywhere in the world but the Japanese fans are so enthusiastic.

“I think I might have a trip to Dubai next week if Yaroogh goes for the UAE 2000 Guineas, there’s potentially a trip to Bahrain after that with a few rides for Shaikh Isa, my sponsor. After that there’s Qatar, Saudi, possibly back to Dubai. Australia remains a bit up in the air at the moment, but if William sends a horse I’ll be chasing it down there.”

In an appropriate conclusion to the evening, Doyle marked her own return with a winner, guiding Sweet Fantastic (6-1) to victory in the Happy 60th Birthday Peter George Handicap for Hugo Palmer.

Marquand gunning for more Breeders’ Cup glory

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Having conquered Santa Anita 12 months ago, Tom Marquand is looking to repeat his Breeders’ Cup heroics with a crack book of rides at Del Mar this time around.

It was Mick Appleby’s Big Evs that broke Marquand’s duck at the Stateside showpiece when storming to Juvenile Turf Sprint victory and the 26-year-old will again be aboard the fleet-footed son of Blue Point as he returns to California for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

He will also partner Appleby’s Big Mojo when he bids to follow in Big Evs’ footsteps in the Juvenile Turf Sprint, and Hugo Palmer’s Tattersalls Stakes scorer The Waco Kid when he goes for Juvenile Turf on Friday.

However, his trump card could prove to be Porta Fortuna in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Marquand has built up a fine association with Donnacha O’Brien’s star filly this term, striking in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and gaining more Group One honours together in Leopardstown’s Matron Stakes last month.

Just touched off at Santa Anita as a two-year-old, it would be the perfect way to round off Porta Fortuna’s season by correcting the record on the outskirts of San Diego.

“She went round Santa Anita great last year and was narrowly beaten and has been absolutely faultless since, it will be nice to be aboard,” said Marquand

Porta Fortuna winning at Royal Ascot
Porta Fortuna winning at Royal Ascot (John Walton/PA)

“The Breeders’ Cup is a hard place to find the right horses to go there and be successful and it is such a unique meeting.

“You have to have so much speed with your sprinters and especially with your juvenile sprinters, they are very fast. Luckily I held an ace card in Big Evs and hopefully this year goes similar.”

No stranger to success on the international stage thanks to his exploits in Australia, Marquand is eager to add to his Breeders’ Cup tally following his maiden win last year.

Someone who relishes the differing challenges racing overseas presents, he will head to Japan with his wife Hollie Doyle later in the year for a second stint in the Far East.

Big Evs struck Breeders' Cup gold
Big Evs struck Breeders’ Cup gold at Santa Anita (PA)

But first it is the excitement of the end-of-season world championships that provides Marquand with the opportunity to enhance his growing CV.

He added: “The Breeders’ Cup is tough racing and a tough place to go and win, but it’s also exciting and it’s an event you get a chance to look forward to as the build up is quite long compared to just a normal British big race day. It’s always an exciting week.

“I enjoy travelling and I like going abroad to different places and trying to adapt as fast as you can. I’ve been very lucky and fortunate enough to have big winners in most of the places I’ve gone. I’ll just keep going and keep trying to tick off big ones.”

Dreamy opportunity for Marquand at Newmarket

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Tom Marquand is delighted to get the call from Aidan O’Brien to ride Dreamy in the bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on Friday.

Beautifully bred, she is by American Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of Yorkshire Oaks heroine Tapestry.

She runs in the famous Niarchos family silks in partnership with Coolmore and having won both her starts to date looks very promising.

Having looked green when making a winning debut at Glorious Goodwood, she appeared to have mentally progressed given the way she won a Group Three next time out.

Dreamy was delivered late to win at Goodwood on her debut
Dreamy was delivered late to win at Goodwood on her debut (Andrew Matthews/PA)

“Group One rides are hard to find, so to pick up a good one like her is great,” said Marquand.

“Aidan holds such a strong hand in the race, but Godolphin’s (Desert Flower) looks the one to beat.

“It’s probably quite an open race and there’s some talented fillies in there. Dreamy has looked very good on both starts and I just hope she can continue that line of progression from her last start.

“It’s that time of year where you never know with fillies what is still on the boil or off it, she is a great ride to pick up and I’ve been really impressed with her in her first two starts and I’m just pleased to be on board.”

Dreamy has, however, been overlooked by Ryan Moore in favour of January, who chased home Desert Flower in the May Hill at Doncaster.

That day Moore chose Ecstatic who could only finish fifth.

Of January Moore told Betfair: “January is a filly I’ve always liked and her win in the Churchill Stakes at Tipperary showed her potential. We obviously have to overturn a defeat to Desert Flower in the May Hill, that will be hard, but my filly is tough and will give the favourite plenty to think about.”

O’Brien also runs Ballet Slippers, while Adrian Murray’s California Dreamer is another Irish challenger.

There are seven runners in the Group One and four of them are unbeaten, with Desert Flower and Sir Michael Stoute’s likely final Group One winner Anna Swan joined by Ralph Beckett’s Tabiti.

Like his Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victor Bluestocking, Tabiti is owned by Juddmonte and ridden by Rossa Ryan.

Ralph Beckett is looking for more Group One glory with Tabiti
Ralph Beckett is looking for more Group One glory with Tabiti (Damien Eagers/PA)

Ryan was impressed by the filly when she won a Group Three at Salisbury last time out.

“She’s in good form and the Dick Poole seemed a strong race,” he said.

“She’s very unfurnished and there’s still plenty more potential to come out of her, so we’re hoping for a good run.

“Time will tell how good she is, but we have to find one to replace Bluestocking if she doesn’t stay in training next year and she’s doing the right things so far.”

Desert Flower undoubtedly sets the standard for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin.

Two wins on the July course were followed by that dominant display at Doncaster and her trainer was succinct in summing up her chances.

In a post on Godolphin’s X account Appleby said: “Desert Flower has done nothing wrong and is three from three. She won on her last start over a mile at Doncaster in the May Hill and it’s a very traditional step to go from there into the Fillies’ Mile.

“She goes there in great shape and she’s probably the worthy favourite and she’s done very well since Doncaster.”

Big Evs prepares for Breeders’ Cup bid with Southwell gallop

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Mick Appleby is confident Big Evs is in the ideal place ahead of his Breeders’ Cup swansong after tightening the screw in a racecourse gallop under big-race jockey Tom Marquand at Southwell on Thursday morning.

There may have been fanfare when Aidan O’Brien visited the Rolleston venue to put City Of Troy through his paces last month, but there were only a handful of witnesses on this occasion as the speedy son of Blue Point continued his Del Mar preparations in the hands of the ever-loyal pilot Marquand.

It is a tried-and-tested path for the undoubted star of Appleby’s string, with Big Evs tuning up for the Hollywood ending of his two-year-old campaign at last year’s Stateside showpiece with a spin on the Southwell Tapeta.

This time he was accompanied by stablemate Blind Beggar as he galloped for five furlongs, spinning the home bend before finishing at the one furlong marker ahead of his 83-raced companion in what is his final appearance on a British racecourse before retiring to stud after his trip to California.

Appleby said: “I think he worked really well. Tom was saying he’s got a bit lazy and he knows he is good so he just does as much as he wants to do.

“Today will be the last time he’s seen on a British racecourse and I’ve been coming to Southwell a long time – they do a great job here and Mark Clayton (executive director) is absolutely brilliant.”

A return to the US has been the ultimate ambition of a profitable three-year-old season, which has so far seen him taste success on both his reappearance at York in May and at Goodwood when gaining revenge on Aussie conqueror Asfoora in the King George Stakes.

Kept fresh for his latest trans-Atlantic mission since failing to sparkle in the Nunthorpe in August, there is only a few weeks to go until Big Evs bids to bring the curtain down on his career in style and Appleby is confident his fleet-footed speedster is ready to make a bold bid.

Tom Marquand and Big Evs at Southwell
Tom Marquand and Big Evs at Southwell (Adam Morgan/PA)

“He needed that as well because we’ve freshened him up since his last run and it will have blown away the cobwebs,” continued Appleby. “We did exactly the same last year before we went to the Breeders’ Cup.”

“I just think everything went against him at York and we just have to put a line through him, I still have plenty of faith in him. He’s proved he has trained on this year and when you have a good two-year-old there is always a doubt, but he’s shown he is still as good as he was if not better.

“It will be nice to go back America and it would be great if he could win. We’re not going there under any illusions it will be easy, but as long as he runs his race and is thereabouts we’ll be happy. If he doesn’t win, he doesn’t win, but we’re going there with every chance.”

Marquand is no stranger to success on the international stage and has been an ever-present in the saddle aboard Big Evs since joining forces for the first time at Doncaster in September 2023.

Big Evs struck Breeders' Cup gold
Big Evs struck Breeders’ Cup gold at Santa Anita (PA)

He tasted Breeders’ Cup glory for the first time when the duo triumphed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita and feels his ace sprinter has lost none of his zip as he prepares to showcase his electric pace once again to an American audience.

Marquand said: “He did well and by the sounds of it he was freshened up following his run at York and feels well for it.

“It seems all systems go for America now and that was probably the first opening piece he’s really had by the sounds of it and there’s a few weeks left to fine tune him now.”

Joining Big Evs in the morning workout was stablemate Big Mojo, who is bidding to follow in Big Evs’ footsteps in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Big Mojo was a big race winner at Goodwood in the summer
Big Mojo was a big race winner at Goodwood in the summer (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Owned similarly by Paul and Rachael Teasdale, the son of Mohaather has already emulated his illustrious stablemate once this year by winning the Molecomb at Goodwood and now has the chance to regain the winning thread in the San Diego suburbs having rattled the crossbar at Doncaster last month.

Appleby added: “He went round the bend really well and that was the main thing to get him going round at speed. He did very well and changed legs at the right time so really good.

“He’s a good horse with a lot of natural speed. I imagine next year he is going to be a six-furlong horse, but I imagine this will be absolutely fine for him.

“He’s got the natural speed that Big Evs has and I think he’s going to be a better three-year-old and I think he will be going out there with a live chance.”

Big Mojo will also be partnered by Marquand at Del Mar, who said: “He went round the bend like a motorbike and it will obviously be pretty different in America, but he’s had that experience now and felt good for it.

“I’ve got two good rides for Mick to look forward to and I’m excited to get out to Del Mar.”

Makarova magic seals Abbaye success

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Makarova led a British domination with a winning swansong performance in the Prix de l’Abbaye Longines at ParisLongchamp.

Ridden by Tom Marquand and trained by Ed Walker, Makarova was settled in the chasing pack as favourite Bradsell and Desperate Hero traded blows at the front end of the five-furlong sprint.

It looked as though Bradsell might seal another Group One triumph entering the final furlong, but Makarova was making ground down the outside and swept through to win going away.

Bradsell just held on for second from the fast-finishing Believing, with Desperate Hero fourth and No Half Measures fifth, with all those runners hailing from British yards.

“She’s the forgotten filly, Makarova, she’s only rated 105 by the British handicapper and that’s Listed level – but she’s Group One-placed, Group Two-placed and a Group Three winner,” said Walker.

“She’s always been slightly underestimated by the punters, she’s always a big price. Having finished third in a Group One last time out she was 16-1 today.

“She’s always been the underdog but she’s very consistent, she doesn’t do a lot wrong, especially when she gets conditions like this.

“We were a lot more confident in our camp than the odds would have suggested, she put in a career-best effort last time and probably upped it again today.

“That is the last run of her career, I’m pretty confident. Jeff (Hobby, owner) and I will discuss it but she owes us nothing, that was the last roll of the dice.

“Everything came right so I think that will probably be it.”

Marquand said: “Everything went perfect on her. To be frank, as soon as I tacked onto the back of Bradsell, she began to travel.

Makarova and connections at ParisLongchamp (Ashley Iveson/PA)

“I knew we were live, they hadn’t gone that quick so it was just whether we had that bit of speed but I think that ground was probably slow enough to take the sting out of them and let her stamina come into play.

“I’m just thrilled for the owners as she is obviously homebred and Ed has had her from day one as well – it’s brilliant. Everything came together beautifully today and it’s seemed to the last couple of weeks.

“Whenever someone has said a horse is going to retire, they come out and win. I’m thrilled for them.”

Of defeating Bradsell, and therefore relegating his wife, fellow jockey Hollie Doyle, into second place, Marquand added: “They’ve clashed loads of times, it’s the inevitability of us both being fortunate enough to ride in Group Ones.

“Unfortunately there can only be one winner of every race. It’s part of the job and whilst I’m sure she’ll be disappointed Bradsell hasn’t won, she’ll be pleased too for me.”

Doyle, who has ridden Bradsell in all but one of his starts, said: “He’s run a huge race, jumped, travelled, I got to where I wanted to be.

“It just probably blunted his turn of foot (the going), when I push the button on quick ground he’s away.

“I had to fight hard to get past the two on my inside, had those covered and got away from them and then unfortunately a mudlark has come for me late. I thought it was a great performance considering.”

Archie Watson, Bradsell’s trainer, said: “He’s done nothing wrong, Hollie just felt whilst he went well on the ground, he went well enough on it to beat the others, he was a bit vulnerable late to a closer.

“I couldn’t be happier with him, he’s run a massive race. I’m delighted for Ed with that filly, she deserved a Group One.”

Bradsell could now head to the Breeders' Cup
Bradsell could now head to the Breeders’ Cup (Mike Egerton/PA)

Of next steps Watson added: “I’ve always thought the turning, quick five furlongs over there (at the Breeders’ Cup) would really suit. We’ll get him home and see if we’re happy with him, that’ll be the plan as long as everyone’s happy.”

Billy Loughnane partnered the George Boughey-trained Believing and he felt the ground may have gone against her.

He said: “The race was incredibly tough. Believing ran really well after a good start. But she wasn’t travelling fast enough and so she got a bit outpaced. So we lost ground.

“She’s capable of handling soft ground, but, on good ground, she’s even better. She’s a star, a wonderful mare.”

Emotional success for Not So Sleepy on likely farewell

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Not So Sleepy made all for victory in the Dubai Duty Free Autumn Cup Handicap at Newbury on what is likely to be his final racecourse start.

The 12-year-old has been an enduring star for trainer Hughie Morrison and owner Lady Blyth, winning six times both on the Flat and over hurdles.

His jumps successes include two Fighting Fifth Hurdles, sharing the Grade One glory in a dead heat with Epatante at Newcastle in 2021 before claiming on outright victory in a rearranged renewal at Sandown last December.

Not So Sleepy with owner Lady Blyth and jockey Sean Bowen after his Fighting Fifth win at Sandown
Not So Sleepy with owner Lady Blyth and jockey Sean Bowen after his Fighting Fifth win at Sandown (John Walton/PA)

Not So Sleepy had been due to sign off in the Ebor at York last month but with quick ground scuppering that plan, he was rerouted to this one-mile-five-furlong contest – an event he also won last term.

With the heavy ground in his favour, Not So Sleepy was sent off a 10-1 shot in the hands of Tom Marquand, who had him smartly away and bowling along in front.

It looked as though the challengers were lining up behind turning into the straight and while Not So Sleepy was headed by Our Golden One, he rallied in fantastic style to get back in front and kept finding for Marquand all the way to the line.

Not So Sleepy eventually came home one and three-quarter lengths clear of Chillingham, much to the delight of his owner.

She said: “That was brilliant, just brilliant. Like last year, just when it looked like they were getting the better of him he came right back at them.

“It’s an option to carry on but I think we are going to stop while we are ahead.

“The trouble is we’re not quite sure what we can do with him. There’s no hunting any more and he’s so independent, but I think this is definitely it.”

Morrison admitted his confidence had been enhanced by the testing conditions in Berkshire.

Not So Sleepy (right) winning the Dee Stakes at Chester
Not So Sleepy (right) winning the Dee Stakes at Chester (Martin Rickett/PA)

He said: “Basically he always does it on this ground and I said to Tom ‘don’t go too far in front, but don’t let them get too far ahead of you when they join you’, because I knew he would come back to them.

“He’s actually quite easy to train, he goes out first every morning and after 50 yards off he goes.

“And he’s a charming horse in his box, to the extent that a child could ride him.”

Not So Sleepy added a further £36,000 to his prizemoney total, having amassed over £600,000 during a 69-race career that began at Nottingham in October 2014.

Morrison pinpointed that first maiden win as a personal highlight, along with victory in the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester the following year, although the trainer is certain his Newcastle result against Champion Hurdle winner Epatante represented his career best effort.

Not So Sleepy (right) shared Grade One honours with Epatante at Newcastle
Not So Sleepy (right) shared Grade One honours with Epatante at Newcastle (Tim Goode/PA)

He added: “Looking back, I enjoyed the day he first won when I watched it in the Green Room at Tattersalls. Then there was the Dee Stakes in which he beat a strong field including a good horse from Ireland (Smuggler’s Cove).

“But I think his best performance was when dead heating with Epatante giving her 7lb at Newcastle. That was the best of them all, for sure.

“It’s good that he has quite a big fan club and I know that once he’s out of the racing scenario, he will be more relaxed.”

Marquand ‘extremely excited’ to take major Economics test

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It will take a special horse to end Aidan O’Brien’s stranglehold on the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, but Tom Marquand is “extremely excited” to partner the imposing Economics when he faces the acid test of his credentials on Saturday.

William Haggas’ Night Of Thunder colt confirmed the promise of his dazzling Dante Stakes with a polished performance in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville.

Economics now takes the leap into both deep waters and enemy territory for the Leopardstown feature, with big-race pilot Marquand relishing what will be the toughest assignment of his mount’s career so far.

Marquand said: “I’m extremely excited, this has been the plan for a little while. France was obviously going to be the deciding factor if this stayed the plan or changed, but he won very well in Deauville and looked as good as we were all hoping he would be.

“I felt he was a lot more mature and he felt more effective in his stride. When he was motoring up to the line he was still extending, whereas at York once he got into top gear he was having a little wobble around and was quite immature still.

“Hopefully he will have taken another step forward from France, which I think he will have done, and there’s not much else to say other than it’s exciting and given us all something great to look forward to.”

He went on: “I’ve been lucky to ride some really good horses, but most of the good horses I have come across have been older horses where there is a general hole for those middle-distance types.

“For potential, though, he is the most exciting horse I have been involved with. We’re coming to the end of his three-year-old campaign and we still don’t really know what he is which is the exciting bit.”

Economics was a taking winner
Economics after winning at Newbury earlier this year (PA)

This venture to the Irish capital is leg one of an ambitious ‘Champion Stakes double’ Economics is seeking this autumn, with the Somerville Lodge runner also slated to run at Ascot on Qipco British Champions Day.

Only six horses have won both races in the same year and Marquand is well aware the might of Ballydoyle is standing in the way of the first hurdle, as his charge attempts to become the first British-trained winner since Roaring Lion in 2018.

“It’s a tough race, but it’s the Irish Champion Stakes, it’s meant to be,” continued Marquand.

“It’s no easy task by any means to go over to Ireland and win, but some others have been over in the past and managed it. He will need to be every bit as good as we hope he is – and maybe even a little bit more to win.

“It’s fantastic for Sheikh Isa and his family to have a horse in the race that they sponsor. They put so much into racing and to be rewarded with a horse with a real live chance in a race they have heavily invested in is great.”

Aidan O'Brien has a great record in this race
Aidan O’Brien has a great record in this race (Damien Eagers/PA)

O’Brien has won this a record 12 times and the master of Ballydoyle saddles half the field as he seeks to extend his winning run to six straight years.

His two most recent winners, Luxembourg and Auguste Rodin, take part once again, and are joined by Irish Derby winner Los Angeles and Hans Andersen.

On Los Angeles, O’Brien said: “It will be interesting. He’s won around Leopardstown and it was soft ground when he won, but he’s a deceiving horse as he’s lazy and when he gets the front he doesn’t do much, so it’s just hard to assess him.

“For us, we’ll learn a lot about him in this race because there’ll be a strong, even pace and we will learn what kind of middle-distance type horse he’s going to be.”

Auguste Rodin bounced back from King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes disappointment when outbattling Luxembourg 12 months ago and O’Brien is backing the defending champion to return to his very best after hitting another bump in the road at Ascot in late July.

Auguste Rodin (left) and Luxembourg fight out the finish to last year's Irish Champion Stakes
Auguste Rodin (left) and Luxembourg fight out the finish to last year’s Irish Champion Stakes (Damien Eagers/PA)

“He’s one of those horses who just about gets a mile and a half, but over a mile and a quarter he has loads of class,” O’Brien told Betfred TV.

“We’ve been very happy with him since Ascot, his work has been very good. He worked with a lot of zest the last day and we’re looking forward to seeing him run again.”

There is an international flavour to the contest provided by Japanese Arc hopeful Shin Emperor who will tune-up for ParisLongchamp by trying to add another major overseas prize to his handler Yoshito Yahagi’s stellar CV.

Along with Economics, Clive Cox’s Ghostwriter and Karl Burke’s Royal Rhyme will form the British raiding party having finished third and sixth respectively behind City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International Stakes.

Ghostwriter has been consistent all season
Ghostwriter has been consistent all season (Tim Goode/PA)

For Ghostwriter, that York third was the latest strong performance in an excellent campaign and despite yet to gain the victory his efforts have deserved, his reputation is yet to be diminished.

“He’s ran very consistently right from the very beginning of the season,” said Cox.

“He continues to please me at home, his well-being and mannerisms show he’s in excellent form with himself. He’s run admirably against City Of Troy throughout this season, especially in his last run at York.”

Marquand has high hopes for Maljoom in Solonaway

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Tom Marquand is backing Maljoom to thrive when reverting to a mile at Leopardstown on Saturday, as the jockey prepares for a huge afternoon in Ireland.

The 26-year-old is set to partner big-race favourite Economics in the feature Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, while he will also be reunited with his Royal Ascot winner, Donnacha O’Brien’s Porta Fortuna, in the Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes.

However, his book of rides at the Dublin track will also include the William Haggas-trained Maljoom in the Tonybet Solonaway Stakes as the Sussex Stakes runner-up bids to get back on track.

The five-year-old proved far too keen when stepping up in trip and ultimately failing to land a blow in an all-star Juddmonte international Stakes at York.

But given his exemplary form at a mile, Marquand is confident the son of Caravaggio can bounce back to his best amongst Group Two company in Ireland.

Marquand said: “He’s a real solid horse but he just struggled to settle at York. He had the blinkers on and was up in trip and it’s the first time he’s ever done it for whatever reason – hopefully it will be the first and only time he does it.

“If you take that run out of the equation he was second in a Sussex, third in a Queen Anne and is a very talented horse.

“He’s coming back a peg in grade and if the ground is fast he should go really well.”

Marquand was super-sub for St Leger ace Galileo Chrome

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Every jockey remembers their first Classic victory. And Tom Marquand has more reason than most.

Marquand had no reason to be thinking he would be teaming up with Joseph O’Brien to ride Galileo Chrome in the 2020 running of the St Leger at Doncaster, yet there he was celebrating a momentous occasion.

As if the fact the stands were empty and those with dispensation to be there were wearing face masks was not enough reason to make the afternoon slightly more memorable than it might have been, at the five-day stage before the race, Marquand was all set to be reunited with Ed Walker’s English King.

That episode is a story itself. Marquand rode him to victory in the Lingfield Derby Trial, only to be jocked off in the blue riband for Frankie Dettori. Then at Epsom, English King could finish only fifth, while Marquand was runner-up to Serpentine on 50-1 outsider Khalifa Sat.

Marquand had got the ride back on English King in time for the St Leger, but his camp had a late change of heart and sent him to France for the Grand Prix de Paris, meaning it looked like he would be watching the Leger from the weighing room, with Dettori already in France.

But talk about fate. Both good and bad. Bad for Shane Crosse, O’Brien’s teenage jockey who returned a positive Covid-19 test on his way to Doncaster, prompting connections to move swiftly and secure Marquand.

Tom Marquand celebrates winning his first Classic on Galileo Chrome
Tom Marquand celebrates winning his first Classic on Galileo Chrome (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Marquand takes up the story: “We’d all heard that Shane wasn’t going to be able to come and I remember it pretty well, I was going down to the start on Sacred in the Flying Childers and when I got there Luke Harvey said ‘I hear you’re riding Galileo Chrome tomorrow’, but it was the first I’d heard of it.

“It was a novel way of finding out, that’s for sure!

“Obviously, I’d lost the ride on English King in the Derby and for the rest of the season, until the St Leger, but then the plans changed at the last second and he was going to go to France instead, where they were going to use Frankie. That left me available for the Leger at the last second.

“Shane then tested positive, which meant Joseph didn’t have a jockey and I didn’t have a ride, so we got together.

“For that to be how my first Classic winner came about, you couldn’t make it up. It was a pretty amazing set of circumstances.

“It wasn’t difficult to handle, but it was slightly awkward, as at the time Shane hadn’t had a Group One winner and I was very aware that although I was delighted to get my first Classic winner, it was rubbish that Covid had got in the way of Shane riding his.

“It was nice that just a few weeks later, though, Shane won the Fillies’ Mile on Pretty Gorgeous to get his Group One.”

In the case of Galileo Chrome himself, it was a case of what might have been.

Fifth of 13 on his only outing at two, he won his maiden the following June, a conditions race in July, a Listed race in August and then the Leger. The decision was then made to send him to stud.

“He was a very good horse,” said Marquand. “He was a gorgeous type, even though he won the Leger over a mile and six, he might well have been able to win a mile-and-a-half Group One as well if he had the opportunity to do so. But he went for the St Leger and that meant I won my first Classic!

“I was very lucky to be put aboard on the day, but it was just awkward circumstances.

“That’s the game we’re in, though. I’m very lucky that I’ve had Group One winners out of the misfortune of others, but other people have benefitted from my misfortune too. It’s not much fun but unfortunately it happens, it’s the highs and lows of racing, it’s part of the job.”

The St Leger has had its critics down the years, but the 2020 renewal was right up to standard. Among the beaten horses were a future King George and Coronation Cup winner in Hukum, plus Pyledriver, who won the same two Group Ones, and Subjectivist, a Prix Royal-Oak and Ascot Gold Cup hero.

“The race itself went as smooth as you would have liked,” said Marquand. “He relaxed beautifully. Berkshire Rocco gave us a lead until two out and we challenged down the middle of the track. Pyledriver was on our inside, but he just went away to the left a bit.

“To be honest, from a good way down he felt like the winner and it was pretty straightforward.

“Unfortunately, I’m unlikely to be there this year as the times mean it clashes with the Irish Champion Stakes and I’ll hopefully be riding Economics. There was a time you could ride in both, I remember Ryan (Moore) doing it. It’s a shame you can’t do it now.”

First Instinct stays on an upward curve at Haydock

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First Instinct remained unbeaten, as William Haggas and Tom Marquand enjoyed a two-year-old double at Haydock.

The daughter of Bated Breath had hinted at being a useful prospect when making a winning debut at Nottingham last month and confirmed that promise when shading a photo in the valuable Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes on Merseyside.

Sent off at 17-2 she was held up in the early stages, but made notable progress as the race developed to edge her way to the front and deny Richard Fahey’s favourite Stormy Impact in the shadow of the post.

Marquand was delighted to see the filly maintain her 100 per cent record and feels she could be even better when encountering a sounder surface.

Marquand said: “She’s been faultless, I was a little bit worried the ground today would blunt her speed, but she fell asleep early which was key I think. She showed that turn of foot she showed on her first start and I think with some better ground she will be even more effective.

“She would have been an unlucky loser if she hadn’t got up, but it’s such a tough one with these horses who win first time because their education is so important. Sometimes you win first time and to be honest get beat second time because they haven’t had much of an education and it’s the next step on the path to creating a racehorse.

“She’s good enough that she has got her head in front again, but we were concentrating on getting her relaxed early, getting her to learn how to race right. She’s been good enough to come out the other side and win anyway and I think she’s had a nice day at the races today and probably cemented what she learned first time even more so.

“Now she’s had two starts and it is onwards and upwards, hopefully. To me she’s pretty quick and I think she’s quicker than she’s shown there – I think that tacky ground just blunted her turn of foot a touch. So while she did really well to get up, I think there is a bit more speed in the locker.”

Haggas and Marquand doubled their tally in the very next race where Bintjeddah improved markedly on her Newmarket bow to get off the mark in the Arete Capital Foundation EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes.

Despite odds of 16-1, she scooted three lengths clear of runner-up Blessed Star to register a taking success.

“I still think she was a little bit unaware of what was happening, but she had a nice gallop to aim at and obviously that little wave of pressure from three furlongs down probably just helped her get into gear and I thought she did it nicely,” continued Marquand, speaking to Racing TV.

“She took a bit of stoking but she never had me worried, I always felt she was going to keep finding for pressure. She’s learned a lot, but I think there is still a bit more to come.

“It’s great she’s got her head in front and hopefully this will lead to nicer things and continue on a nice path for connections.”

Marquand registered a treble on the card when he steered Robert Stephens’ Knight Templar (11-2) to victory in the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap.

But there was no luck for the popular veteran Copper Knight in his 100th appearance as Tim Easterby’s 10-year-old could only finish eighth in the Lee Thomas Christy Memorial Handicap won by Tristan Davidson’s Our Absent Friend.

Tiber Flow comes out on top in thrilling Hungerford finish

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Tiber Flow continued to flourish at seven furlongs as he came out on top in a pulsating finish to the feature BetVictor Hungerford Stakes at Newbury.

The William Haggas-trained five-year-old has always been a consistent performer in stakes company but his career almost came to a cruel end when brought down in dramatic circumstances at York earlier in the season, tipping a somersault and sending his big-race pilot Tom Marquand crashing to the ground.

Thankfully, both horse and rider escaped the Knavesmire incident unscathed and the son of Caravaggio has cut a resurgent figure since, being upped to seven furlongs to claim the John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock on his very next start.

Although faltering at Goodwood in the Lennox Stakes, he was back to his best in Berkshire as he saw off previous winners Witch Hunter and Jumby to scoop Group Two honours.

The 4-1 chance was positioned towards the rear in the early exchanges, as all bar Ed Walker’s Popmaster plotted a stands-side course for home.

He was soon moving into contention in the hands of Marquand and showed his trademark guts and will to win to edge out a titanic tussle in the closing stages, with the blanket finish also including Frankel’s half-brother Kikkuli, the 7-4 favourite looking to emulate his illustrious sibling by dazzling at the track.

A nose was the official winning distance and Maureen Haggas, wife and assistant to the winning trainer, admitted she did not think Tiber Flow would be around after what happened earlier in the season.

She said: “After York, he ran the next time at Haydock and had to be pushed out to win, he’s an absolute legend and I couldn’t be more proud of him, he’s such a star.

“He wants to win and that’s a pretty hard trait to find in a lot of horses – and it’s just brilliant.

“I thought he was dead (at York). I took my shoes off and went running down the track and he just came cantering past me with his ears pricked. I promise you, we went back to the stables after and it didn’t seem to bother him, he must be as hard as nails.

“He’s as tough as old boots and a legend. He prefers softer ground in an ideal world but you just wouldn’t know, he just keeps surprising us.”

Winning rider Marquand added: “He’s a proper warrior and to have had the turbulent year he has and to come out and have the season he has since, has been brilliant.

“To be honest, he’s been a revelation since he had the fall and it’s quite remarkable. As I said after he won at Haydock, you can’t underestimate how much the team does at home to make sure these horses come to the races in peak condition.

“Chris, who rides him every day, knows when he’s on, knows when he’s off, and that’s so important when it comes to getting them back to peak condition.

“We hit the ground very hard (at York) and in a six-furlong Group race you are flying. It was relatively quick ground and it’s remarkable that he stood up all right.

“When they turn over, you can’t help but think about the worst for the horse because they are much more fragile than we are and aren’t meant to do that – I know we’re not either but we’re probably built a bit more for it.

“Remarkably, he was back less than six weeks later and getting his head in front and probably producing a career best – and now he has bettered that again, it is pretty incredible stuff.”

On the close finish, Marquand went on: “I thought I was beat. Witch Hunter came with a bit of a run and I thought it would push me forward and then right on the line I thought Jamie’s (Spencer, on Witch Hunter) nose was down and he just caught us at the wrong time. Absolutely thrilled that he didn’t.”