Multiple Group 1 Winner Partners Carmel Road in Saudi Cup Qualifier

Image: Tom Marquand at morning trackwork at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Happy Romance. Credit Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia // Neville Hopwood

Top British Jockey Tom Marquand Makes Pre-Saudi Cup Appearance in Riyadh

Tom Marquand is relishing the prospect of his first rides in Saudi Arabia outside of The Saudi Cup meeting when he appears alongside other star names such as James Doyle, Mike Smith and Mickael Barzalona at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh this Saturday.

The leading British rider is often to be found in Australia at this time of year where he has plundered Group 1 prizes for William Haggas, but a space in his diary has allowed him to head into Saudi Arabia for the biggest meeting outside of next month’s Saudi Cup.

Seven qualifiers for the world’s richest race meeting will take place over the next two days with Marquand booked for three rides including leading chance Carmel Road in the Group 3 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup – Open, a race which gives the winner a direct route into The Saudi Cup starting gate.

Marquand said: “I am really looking forward to getting over to Saudi Arabia. I have not ridden a winner there yet. I have gone close a couple of times so hopefully I can change that.

“I’ve been lucky to come over to The Saudi Cup meeting most years but I have not really experienced racing there apart from that so it will be great to be there for a different event and I am really looking forward to riding the track.

“Travelling is something I really enjoy, and to get to travel and ride horses is fantastic.

“I am often in Australia at this time of year, but that trip has been delayed, and it might not even come together at all, which has opened up other opportunities.”

Fresh from stint in Japan which yielded 21 winners, Marquand will also take the ride on Dhydan in the ninth race and Nowafaa in the valuable and highly prestigious local Group 1, The King Abdulaziz Cup for three year olds over 1600m, worth over £1million.

“Carmel Road would be one who stands out and I am looking forward to jumping aboard him and hopefully I will be taking home a winner or two,” he added.

“I am going to be bouncing around a lot in the Middle East with plenty of trips to Bahrain and Qatar and I am actually off to India next week too, but any trips to Saudia Arabia are welcome and hopefully I will get to come again before the Saudi Cup.”

**ENDS**