Waipiro boosts Derby form – and seals memorable day for Marquand

Smart Ed Walker runner on top in Hampton Court Stakes.

Waipiro gave the Derby form a boost when storming to Royal Ascot glory in the Hampton Court Stakes.

Ed Walker’s charge won on his reappearance at Newmarket before chasing home Military Order in the Lingfield Derby Trial and going on to finish a gallant sixth at Epsom itself.

Sent off at 7-1 dropping back to 10 furlongs, jockey Tom Marquand was never in any rush aboard the son of Australia and his patience was rewarded when Oviedo carried a plethora of the challengers right approaching the one-furlong marker – opening up the perfect gap for Waipiro to gallop on through.

And while some were wearily wandering around in the closing stages, Waipiro kept on straight as an arrow as he sprinted clear to a register a two-and-a-quarter-length verdict over Roger Varian’s Exoplanet.

The victory brought up a memorable double on the day for Marquand, who had earlier struck aboard the King and Queen’s Desert Hero, but he was fittingly repaid by the horse he was aboard at Newmarket earlier this year when suffering an arm injury which ruled him out of both the 2000 and 1000 Guineas.

For Walker it was a second success at the Royal meeting following Agrotera’s Sandringham win in 2018.

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