Marquand backing Dubai Honour to make Eclipse impact

Dual Australian Group One winner seeking domestic success.

Tom Marquand is looking forward to being reunited with Dubai Honour for the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown this weekend.

The duo are well acquainted and teamed up in Australia in the spring for the second leg of the gelding’s Ranvet Stakes and Queen Elizabeth Stakes double.

Both of those races were Group Ones and Dubai Honour will now look to win a domestic contest at the same level as he represents trainer William Haggas in a small field on Saturday.

“Dubai Honour is all set to go at the weekend,” said Marquand.

“He had a fantastic time in Australia. He got his maiden Group One on the board then his second one in quick succession. He had to beat some good horses in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

“He then went to Hong Kong and he ran a very respectable race on ground that was probably just too sharp (third in the QEII Cup).

“He has had a freshen up since he has come back and I’m looking forward to seeing him back on a British racecourse.

“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 any of their armour.”

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.

Marquand added: “Going abroad proved pivotal in getting Dubai Honour’s head over the line in a big one.

“As we saw with Addeybb, he won his first Group One 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 One horse.

“He had to bridge the class gap realistically in Australia, but he is an older horse and he is coming together now.”

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