Tom Marquand is one of the brightest young stars of the British weighing room. The 23-year-old Englishman has been making a name for himself since he became champion apprentice in 2015, and is now regarded as a go-to rider by a number of the bigger stables.
He has ridden five G1 winners - four of them on the horse he is most associated with, the William Haggas-trained 7-year-old Addeybb (the Champion Stakes at Ascot last October, the last two Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick in Sydney and the 2020 Ranvet Stakes, at Rosehill, also in Sydney). The other was Galileo Chrome for Joseph O’Brien in last season’s St Leger at Doncaster.
Marquand, currently ranked #43 in the TRC Global Rankings, lies third in this season’s British jockeys’ championship, just five behind William Buick and Oisin Murphy, who are tied on 50.
Perhaps his biggest rival to be called the brightest young star in British racing is his partner, Hollie Doyle, who is currently eighth in the jockeys’ championship.
Who do you think is the most important figure in the history of racing around the world?
I think from a jockey’s point of view, it would have to be Lester Piggott. He was probably one of the first modern-style jockeys. He dominated the sport at the time. It was the start of a new era with the use of phones and he was the jockey calling everyone necessary to make sure he was on the best horses in the top races.
What is your favourite racing venue and race?
I have to say that I really loved going to Longchamp for Arc day. Unfortunately Enable was beaten the year I went, but it is an amazing place with a really unique atmosphere. It is such an historic race, and the eyes of the racing world are focused on Longchamp that day each year.
What is your fondest memory in racing?
So far in my career, I would have to say Champions Day at Ascot in 2020. Seeing Hollie ride her first Group 1 winner [on Glen Shiel in the British Champions Sprint Stakes] was enough of a buzz for me in itself, but then for her to have ridden a Group double on the card before I won the Champion Stakes on Addeybb (see video below), who is obviously a very special horse for me, made for a brilliant but surreal day. It is definitely my best racing memory so far.
What is the biggest challenge that racing faces today?
In Britain, obviously our prize money system is in dire need of being reconstructed. If we don’t sort it out, we will be in a very bad situation pretty soon. That is definitely a massive challenge to our sport right now.
If you could change one thing in racing, what would it be?
As per my previous answer, it would have to be the structure of the British prize money system. There is less and less encouragement for owners to have horses in training in the UK now. To put it bluntly, this could be the thing that brings down British racing.