GB: Tom Marquand is aiming to continue his summer to savour by securing a first domestic G1 success of the year aboard Dubai Honour, who he believes is ‘well capable’ of exposing any frailties in his rivals in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park on Saturday [July 8].
After delivering King Charles III his first Royal Ascot winner aboard William Haggas-trained stablemate Desert Hero in the King George V Handicap last month, the Classic-winning rider will attempt to add to that success aboard the Pride Of Dubai gelding in the mile-and-a-quarter feature.
Although the five-year-old failed to get his head in front in five starts in 2022, he enjoyed a profitable trip to Australia earlier this year with G1 wins in the Ranvet and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Dubai Honour, third in Hong Kong on his most recent start in April, is currently a 12-1 chance with Eclipse sponsors Coral – but Marquand suggests he is not there to make up the numbers.
“Dubai Honour is all set to go at the weekend,” he said. “I’ve not sat on him at all since Hong Kong but I saw him the other day and he looks great and I know they are happy with him.
“He never really had a clean run at the big days last season but going abroad proved pivotal in getting his head over the line in a big one,” the jockey went on.
“He had a fantastic time in Australia. He got his maiden Group 1 on the board, then his second one in quick succession – and he had to beat some good horses in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He then went to Hong Kong and ran a very respectable race on ground that was probably just too sharp.
“He has had a freshen up since he has come back and I’m looking forward to seeing him back on a British racecourse.”
On official figures, Dubai Honour comes out ahead of both Anmaat and Emily Upjohn – now ridden by William Buick in the absence of suspended Frankie Dettori. Only Irish 2000 Guineas hero and St James’s Palace Stakes scorer Paddington rated higher in a select field also featuring Luxembourg and West Wind Blows.
“Emily Upjohn was fantastic at Epsom in the Coronation Cup and she has an electric turn of foot while Paddington gets so much weight from us and he looks very good,” said Marquand.
“But he doesn’t have as much to find as it might initially look, and he would be a horse that would be well capable of finding any flaws in their armour. I’d say he probably has slipped under the radar a bit but a lot of water has gone under the bridge since he was winning his Group 1s in Australia.”
“He has got to improve on what he is doing to beat the top three in the market, but he will be competitive. If he runs up to his best, he will put in a solid effort that is for sure.”
While Dubai Honour is yet to make an impression at the highest level in Britain, Marquand hopes he can take inspiration from former stablemate Addeybb, who successfully transferred his impressive international form back on home territory.
“Going abroad proved pivotal in getting Dubai Honour’s head over the line in a big one,” said the rider. “As with saw with Addeybb he won his first Group 1 races down there then he came back and went and won a Champion Stakes later in his career back here.
“Hopefully this lad can take another step forward for getting his head in front down there and can crack on as a Group 1 horse. He had to bridge the class gap realistically in Australia, but he is an older horse and he is coming together now.”
Although Dubai Honour and Addeybb share similarities in their international form figures Marquand feels they are very different as individuals.
He explained: “Both Dubai Honour and Addeybb have taken their travelling very well, but both are different types of horses to ride and have anything to do with.
“Addeybb was not a flash horse, he was just workmanlike; he would just grind it out. Whereas Dubai Honour, as he showed when winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, has probably got a bit more natural zip in him.”
Most of Dubai Honour’s best form has come with plenty of ease in the ground “You can always rely on Sandown to have a nice sensible surface,” added Marquand. “There are little bits of rain around but you know if it isn’t going to rain it will have water put on it and it will be a nice sensible surface to race on which will be key for him.
“At one point we thought a mile and a half might be up his street but he proved so effective in Australia over 10 furlongs. I think a stiff 10 furlongs is where he is at and Sandown should suit him. It looks like it all lines up.”
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