DEPUTY TOM IN CLASSIC GLORY
ONE man’s loss was very much Tom Marquand’s gain after he picked up the winning spare ride on Galileo Chrome in yesterday’s Pertemps St Leger at Doncaster.
After the intended rider Shane Cross was stood down, testing positive for coronavirus just 24 hours before the season’s final Classic, connections snapped up Marquand for their colt.
Moments after crossing the winning line for a first Classic success, Marquand said: “It’s a dream come true.
“But I genuinely feel terrible for Shane and can’t imagine what heartbreak it is for him.”
Marquand clearly had the roll of the dice in his favour as he had initially been booked for English King before connections opted to run the colt at Longchamp today.
Galileo Chrome had to fight for his moment of glory when Berkshire Rocco and Andrea Atzeni took a swing at him in the final furlong but he prevailed by a neck.
William Muir’s Pyledriver ran out of petrol in the final two furlongs but just held on for third place.
Santiago, sent off the 5-2 favourite, was unsuited by the fast ground, according to his rider Frankie Dettori, and finished fourth.
For winning trainer Joseph O’brien, it was a landmark success as he became only the second person to ride and train a St Leger winner after Harry
Wragg achieved the feat in the 1930s.
O’brien said: “Tom gave him a fantastic ride. He’s obviously been riding extremely well for a number of years now all over the world – and when he was available, we didn’t have to look any further.”
As for Cross’ misfortune, he added: “Shane, I’m sure, is obviously gutted to miss the ride on him. But he’s a young man, and he’s a very talented rider – and he’ll have plenty of big rides in the future.” MAGICAL got the better of Ghaiyyath in a pulsating finish to the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
Trained by Aidan O’brien and ridden by Seamie Heffernan, the mare reversed Juddmonte International form with Ghaiyyath to win the race for a second successive year.