Tom Marquand

The Queen's 2023 G1 Derby entry Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars (Ire)--Desert Breeze {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}) brushed aside early aggravation in Thursday's Tuffx Glass EBF Novice S. at Haydock and closed out the seven-furlong contest with panache to earn 'TDN Rising Stardom' for the relentless William Haggas stable. The 4-1 third choice engaged in light scrimmaging at the break and was detached from the leaders in seventh until easing closer in the straight. Shaken up when moving into contention approaching the quarter-mile marker, he quickened smartly to gain...

St Albans Bloodstock's Sense of Duty (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), successful in the second of two juvenile starts, opened this term with an Apr. 28 Redcar conditions score and went postward for Saturday's G3 Pertemps Network Chipchase S. at Newcastle coming back from a neck defeat of G1 Commonwealth Cup third Flotus (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in Haydock's May 20 Listed Cecil Frail S. last time. Settled off the tempo until coaxed closer after halfway, the 15-8 favourite quickened smartly to seize control approaching the final furlong and powered clear of toiling...

Lael Stable's Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) garnered a bumper pot when running away with the Haras de Bouquetot Criterium Arqana on ParisLongchamp's Arc Saturday card and closed last term under the stewardship of Cedric Rossi with a third in Saint-Cloud's Oct. 23 G1 Criterium International. Making her debut for new connections in last month's G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh, having been knocked down for €2-million at last year's Arqana December sale, she finished sixth there and rebounded in style to salute in Sunday's G2 Prix de Sandringham going...

They might be making history as the first husband and wife to ride against each other in a British Classic, but Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle insist they "won't give each other an inch" when they go head to head in Friday's G1 Cazoo Oaks. The childhood sweethearts have been riding against each other since their pony racing days and tied the knot in Hertfordshire in March this year before jetting off to compete at the Dubai World Cup just a few days later. And while they encounter each other...

Connections of G1 Cazoo Derby favourite Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) were left purring after a scintillating exercise gallop on Thursday as Sir Michael Stoute put the finishing touches on what could become the legendary trainer's sixth win in the Classic. Stoute will forever be remembered for managing Shergar (Ire) to win the Derby in 1981 and followed up on that breakthrough success in the race with Shahrastani (1986), Kris Kin (2003), North Light (Ire) (2004) and Workforce (GB) (2010). Desert Crown advertised the trainer's claims of bolstering his Derby...

Few people will go through life fortunate enough to say they have had anything to do with a Group 1 winner--fewer still with one who cost just €18,000 as a foal. But back in 2018, when not many were in a hurry to get behind the little-known Adlerflug (Fr) (In The Wings {GB}), one of the ill-fated sire's most talented sons went through the ring at Arqana for that paltry sum. It was Gerry Burke's eye and pocket who saw something in Alenquer (Ger) long before the horse confirmed himself...

The William Haggas show had another stirring episode at The Curragh on Sunday as M M Stables' Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) came out on top of a thrilling finale to a G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup which will be recalled for some time. Last year's G2 King Edward VII S. winner had lost a front shoe when a gallant sixth in the Mar. 26 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic when last seen, having readily beaten Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) previously in the G3 Winter Derby at Lingfield Feb. 26, and was...

Sunderland Holdings' 190,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling Sea Silk Road (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) backed up a Dec. 15 debut sixth at Kempton with an impressive 5 1/2-length tally going an extended mile at Nottingham in her May 6 sophomore comeback and continued on an upward trajectory with a hard-fought victory in Friday's Listed William Hill Height of Fashion S. at Goodwood. The 11-10 chalk and G2 Ribblesdale S. entry is not engaged in Epsom's G1 Cazoo Oaks, for which this contest has acted as a stepping stone...

William Haggas's stable is in scintillating form at present and Sunderland Holding's My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) further emphasised that with success in Thursday's Listed Heron S. at Sandown. Sent off the 7-4 joint-favourite alongside the returning G3 Solario S. winner Reach For the Moon (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), the Apr. 16 Newbury maiden winner was settled in third early by Tom Marquand as the other market-leader set off in front. Wound up in early straight, the homebred half-brother to Wednesday's 12-length Listed Rothesay S. winner My Astra (Ire)...

Jon and Julia Aisbitt's homebred 4-year-old filly Lilac Road (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}--Lavender Lane {Ire} {MGSP-Fr}, by Shamardal), whose lone stakes success came in last term's Listed Upavon Fillies' S. at Salisbury, went postward at odds of 15-2 for Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' S. at York and displayed a willing attitude at the end of the extended 10-furlong test to continue William Haggas' fine run of form at the Knavesmire venue. She had closed last term with a second to the reopposing Ville de Grace (GB) (Le...

Tom Marquand will represent Ireland in Racing League 2022 having been the first pick at this morning's jockey draft at Doncaster Racecourse. A total of 108 jockeys signed up for the inaugural draft, with the seven team managers each selecting seven riders in a pre-agreed order to ensure a fair allocation. Ireland team manager Kevin Blake said, "I am really happy. Six out of the seven were selections I thought I might get and the exception to that I am very happy with. It is a nice mix of British-based...

European-based jockeys managed victories in three of the four races comprising Wednesday's Longines International Jockeys' Championship at Happy Valley Racecourse on Hong Kong Island, but consistency was rewarded when Zac Purton--out of luck on the evening--had the last laugh, placing in all four legs to take home the HK$500,000 (£48,558/€56,739) first prize. Currently atop the jockeys' premiership in Hong Kong, Purton was winning the IJC for a third time in five years, having taken it in 2017 and again 12 months ago. He joins Frankie Dettori and Douglas Whyte as...