'Aussie Tom' is onto another lap of Honour
Michael Lee
Gun British jockey Tom Marquand has not quite lit up the place he calls his second home this time round, but still banks on his banner horse Dubai Honour to break the duck at Rosehill on March 29.
It would also come in as a handy 27th birthday present, albeit one day early.
A regular Australian visitor since his Lindsay Park stints as a fresh-faced apprentice in 2016, Marquand has yet to get on the board since he returned Down Under.
After his first ride at Wyong on March 19 finished third, none of his five bookings at the Golden Slipper meeting three days later could fare any better, including Al Mubhir who ran last to Australian wonder mare Via Sistina in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2,000m).
The 1,300-race winner had no better luck at a midweek meeting at Kensington.
In contrast, at his last sojourn in 2023, "Aussie Tom", as he is nicknamed in the local media, bagged a fourth Australian Group 1 win with the William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m).
Earlier, he also combined with Haggas to sweep back-to-back Queen Elizabeth Stakes wins with Addeybb in 2020 (they also landed the Ranvet that year) and 2021.
While upbeat the best is yet to come, Marquand put the quieter antipodean raid - his seventh - down to a "broken trip" because of his Dubai commitments.
"Normally I come in early February and try to jump in as many trials as I can, try and find a few Australian horses," said Marquand to Sky Racing World.
"Thankfully I picked up a few, but I'm not going to be as busy on Australian horses as some trips.
"Knowing what sort of trip it was going to be, with plenty going on in the Middle East, it was always going to be tough.
"Obviously it makes it a bit of a broken trip this time, but it'll still be a busy couple of weeks.
"I'll sideline myself out of The Championships as I'm going over to Dubai, linking up with a few other there."
The Championships marks the second half of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival flowing on from the Golden Slipper Carnival which ended last week.
With time not permitting for much networking this time, Marquand is putting his eggs in one English basket - Dubai Honour as the one to crack it for his first major win in the A$1.5 million (S$1.27 million) Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2,400m) this time in.
"I'm relying on the English horses this time," said Marquand.
"I jumped on Dubai Honour the other morning and he felt superb. (Travelling forewoman) Issy's (Isabella Paul) really happy with him, obviously she knows him so well now, after having globetrotted alongside him.
"She's happy, we're happy, so it's all systems go until the weekend. It's really exciting."
The Pride Of Dubai seven-year-old is currently the 5-2 favourite followed by former fellow Brit, Vauban (3-1), who debuted his new career under Australian ownership with a gutsy win in the Group 3 Sky High Stakes (2,000m) on March 15.
Marquand likes barrier No. 4 but would be even more welcoming of another element - water.
"It's going to be a pretty busy race, but hopefully, barrier No. 4 just gives us options," he said.
"We've all seen him in the past on rain-affected ground, and he just absolutely laps it up.
"Hopefully some rain touches the track and that can help our cause out a bit."
Even if local support has been less potent quality-wise this term, Marquand will also be doing a rain dance for one of the six outside rides he picked up - Powers Of Opal in the A$750,000 Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2,000m).
"Her second in the Victorian Oaks was great. She felt really great in herself when I rode her in work," he said of John Sargent's filly.
"She enjoyed a bit of juice in the ground. It looks like there might be that dew again this weekend. To me, that was positive."
manyan@sph.com.sg
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