Marquand back in action – and back in the winner’s enclosure

Ashley Iveson
May 10, 2023 4:57 pm

Freak accident at the Guineas meeting meant a few days on the sidelines.

Tom Marquand was back among the winners as William Haggas’ Amleto caught the eye with a comfortable success in the Deepbridge Syndicate Maiden Stakes at Chester.

The three-year-old is by Sea The Stars and out of the highly successful broodmare Holy Moon, a dam who also produced the late Sea Of Class – a Group One winner who finished second to Enable in the 2018 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Amleto did not win in two starts as a juvenile and was gelded earlier this year ahead of his seasonal debut on the Roodee.

Marquand was back in the saddle for only his second ride since a brief absence over the Guineas weekend, on the opening day of which he was kicked on the way to the start aboard Waipiro in the Newmarket Stakes.

Tom Marquand at Newmarket before an unfortunate incident put him on the sidelines (David Davies/PA)

He escaped any broken bones, but was wounded enough to require both stitches and a few days to recover.

He and Amleto went off at 7-2 and battled through the testing ground to pull away around the final bend, eventually going on to cross the line three and a half lengths ahead of their nearest rival.

Marquand said: “This is why you rush yourself back, to ride horses that are exciting for the future.

“He’s a horse that’s learning and building on what he’s been doing. He’s certainly going the right way.”

On his arm he added: “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t sore, but I’m sound enough to ride and it feels all right once I’m on the back of the horse, so that’s the main thing.”