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| Sumita Pawar |
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Tom Marquand, the reigning champion, is prepared to defend his Longines International Jockeys' Championship crown at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening. He will face a formidable lineup of talented jockeys vying for the title under the bright lights.
Following his shared victory with Silvestre de Sousa in the previous year's prestigious contest, Marquand is feeling confident that he has what it takes to become one of only three jockeys to win consecutive titles.
“I think I’ve definitely got three decent rides,” Marquand said. “I’ve got a favourable draw on two of them and it’s a track you do need a little bit of luck at.
“There’s probably not a stand-out horse, but it looks like I’ve got a good enough book of rides where, if things fall right, it could all happen again.”
Marquand has enjoyed success at the IJC, securing a joint second-place finish in 2021 following his victory last year. The British rider aspires to maintain his impressive streak at the event.
Marquand expressed his satisfaction with his shared victory with Silvestre de Sousa in the previous year's prestigious contest. He stated that while winning alone is ideal, he would rather share the victory than not win at all. He acknowledged the highly competitive nature of the event and the need for things to go his way.
In this year's IJC, Marquand will partner with Caspar Fownes aboard Galvanic in the opening leg, a Class Four over 1,000m. Galvanic, who finished sixth in his latest outing last month, will jump from gate three in his attempt to shed his maiden tag.
Marquand expressed his optimism about Galvanic's chances, stating that he saw the draw and thought it was a blessing. He added that the horse had been running well at Happy Valley before his last outing.Marquand and Fownes will continue their partnership in the second leg, a Class Four over 1,650m, where Killer Instinct will aim to improve on his latest outing over this course and distance last month.
Marquand acknowledged that the horse has a tougher draw but expressed confidence in his ability.
Marquand's final two IJC rides are Splendid Living and Golden Empire. He acknowledged the unique experience of riding at Happy Valley and the tight and competitive nature of the racing. He expressed his determination to nullify any potential advantage the Hong Kong-based jockeys have and not miss a beat all evening.
Marquand is an US$11 chance to come out on top for a second straight IJC, while several other jockeys are available at single-figure odds. Across the card, Marquand has a full book of nine rides for seven different trainers. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to ride and acknowledged the competitiveness of the field.