Maltese Cross and Tom Marquand win the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur

Arc preview: Tom Marquand on the chances of Maltese Cross

Horse Racing

Tue September 29, 2026 · 18h ago

Tom Marquand says it's a case of so far, so good with Maltese Cross' preparations for Sunday's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

William Haggas' charge is currently second-favourite for Sunday's showpiece off the back of his wins in the Cygames Grand Prix de Paris and Sky Bet Great Voltigeur and his big-race jockey says he's giving the right signs at home.

“He feels great. I jumped on him the other morning and haven’t ridden him too much at home in between his runs but he felt fantastic. He looks fresh and well and everyone is super happy with him, especially the boss, and that side of it at the moment is all going swimmingly," Marquand told Sky Sports Racing.

“Obviously the weekend is a majorly important one. (Owner) George Waud is organising a lot of people to go over which is great."

And Marquand feels the York defeat of Pierre Bonnard and Christmas Day was the perfect springboard into the Arc.

“The way he handled himself was the bit I was most impressed with. Obviously in those small fields you get the tactical side of things and he got a bit of pressure from the inside, trying to pop him out and he stayed relaxed and composed, took it all in his stride and I liked when I switched him out, he was quick to jump into the bridle. To me that was a big pointer to him having learned from what happened in Paris," he said.

“It’s a string added to his bow for the weekend because he’ll need every bit of it to go and win an Arc. It’s a very tough race and you have to be top, top, class to do so."

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The draw and going are the two unknown factors at this stage and one concerns the jockey more than the other.

“He’s a super-balanced horse. When I rode him the other morning it was interesting getting a feel off him without being in race circumstances where you’re thinking about everything else," he said.

“I was struck by how clean he is with is leg changes. He’s always been a very well balanced horse, we were never worried about Epsom which shows how agile and athletic he is. 99% of horses when you’re going there you’re thinking ‘will they/won’t they handle it?’.

“The track poses no issue at all but obviously you need a good draw for the Arc. Every inch saved is super important and we’d love it to be dry because we know how good he is on that ground. He has shown great versatility though and was second in the Derby on soft ground.

“I don’t think it’s hugely detrimental to his chances if it goes easier but it plays to a couple of others. I think that’s the most exciting thing about it. There’s no real thing showing at the moment that wipes him from the race. He has every chance to put his name up in lights.”

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