With a Qipco Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on his CV, jockey Tom Marquand already has more fond memories than most from previous editions of British Champions Day at Ascot.
Few people will want to remember the Covid pandemic of 2020, and the implications it had, but for Marquand it was the year that saw him waltz off with victory in the Champions Stakes aboard Addeybb and Njord in the fiercely-competitive Balmoral Handicap.
Two years later he upset the odds at the same meeting when picking up the ride on 33/1 chance Bayside Boy, who defied his double-figure price tag to floor the likes of multiple top-level winners Inspiral and Modern Games, in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
While having those cherished moments from the past to reflect fondly upon, Marquand is hungry for more.
And with his book of rides at the Berkshire track on Saturday looking strong it would come as no surprise should he celebrate that big race success he craves.
Marquand said: “The best day I’ve had there was with Addeyyb and Njord in the Balmoral. It was a class day as Hollie (Doyle, jockey and wife) had Trueshan and Glen Shiel win on the same day and it was one of our best days together.
“I remember walking out with the bag of trophies as we won four of the six races on the day and we got in the car and had a little chuckle to ourselves.
“Picking up the ride on Bayside Boy was another good spare to find as he ended up winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
"This year again it looks like I’ve got some solid horses for it so hopefully I can make some more good memories there.”
Headlining Marquand’s mounts will be the return of the long-absent Economics, who he hopes can gate-crash the party in the Qipco Champion Stakes on his first appearance since finishing sixth in the same contest 12 months ago.
While the 10-furlong Group One has been billed as the third instalment of the trilogy between Ombudsman and Delacroix in their personal battle, which currently stands at one all, Marquand believes it is much more than just a two-horse contest.
Marquand said: “To be honest I’m just looking forward to getting him back on the racecourse as he was such an important horse last year for us.
“I looked forward to Ascot last year with him, but things didn’t go to plan as the ground went soft.
“He is an extremely talented horse and I sat on him the other morning and he was moving fantastically.
"He has a great mind, but to come back in one of the best races we have seen all year will be tough.
“You don’t have horses like him every year though, you have them every now and again, and you spend a lot of time thinking about them.
“He was that horse last year and this year I was really looking forward to him. He could run a spectacular race and still not win, but it will be really nice just to have him back.
“Hopefully, he comes back and proves he is the horse of last year, if not maybe even better, and that we can go back to war with him.
“It is a race that has been dubbed as a match race between the top two, but I can’t quite believe that is the reality.
"It is an exceptional race, but I’m looking forward to just having him back out and that in itself makes it a big day for everyone involved in him.”
And although it has so far been a non-existent campaign for the William Haggas-trained colt, who recently took part in a racecourse gallop at Newmarket, Marquand believes there is no better man to prepare him for such a task on his return than the Somerville Lodge handler.
He added: “I think horses like him really showcase the level that William, Maureen and the team at Somerville Lodge operate at.
“Getting him to win the Irish Champion Stakes last year was an insane training performance. I don’t think people really appreciate the incredible job they did to win that race with him.
“To have him cherry ripe on the right day to beat a Derby winner, and multiple Group One scorer, like Auguste Rodin, showcased what a good horse he is.
“The team have done a great job getting him back in flying order. Like William has said a prep run would have been lovely, but we didn’t have the luxury of it this year.
“However, he showed what he can do off the back of a break in Deauville last year. Although it was only a Group Two it was a big performance.
“If he can do something like that, off the back of a big break this year, hopefully he can be competitive and show that he is as good as last year.”
Before getting aboard Economics, the 27-year-old, who is an ambassador for the Tote, will be reunited with Big Mojo in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes.
And having missed his Group One success in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock Park last month Marquand is eager to enjoy his own big day aboard the Mick Appleby-trained colt.
He said: “The ground looks perfect and he comes into this on the back of winning his Group One, while he is a course and distance winner, so hopefully it can be another big day for Mick, Paul and Rachael (Teasdale).
“He has had a massive year. He has run some really creditable races and a couple of times we felt things didn’t quite go one hundred percent right, but we felt like his Group One was coming.
“It was just unfortunate I wasn’t on board at Haydock Park, but I’m thankful to his owners for putting me back on him.
“We had a real fun couple of years with Big Evs and Big Mojo has come into the picture quite quickly afterwards which is incredible.
"People dream of finding one good one once in their lifetime, let alone two in a few years.
“He has proved his Group One credentials on multiple occasions in the July Cup and then up at Haydock Park.
"Everything points the right way, but he is very much in the same echelon as the best of them in the race.”
Sandwiched in between those rides will be a third spin on Ascot-track specialist Docklands, winner of this year’s Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal meeting in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Having partnered the Harry Eustace-trained to finish fifth in the Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood and fourth in The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, Marquand is looking forward to riding him over a course and distance he excels on.
He added: “He is a super cool horse and it has been well documented how important he has been for Harry and his team.
“Goodwood was a mess of a race. I got half-way around I thought this is why he enjoys Ascot. The way it is there suits his run style and the way he moves.
“He absolutely loves Ascot and he ran a cracker in France last time off a tempo that probably didn’t suit him. I think to see him to his best effect those Ascot races tend to be what he loves.
“He is a Group One winner at the track over course and distance so there is probably not a lot more to say. He is consistent and he is a cracking horse that is versatile.
“I was lucky to ride Bayside Boy to win the race so to pick up another on this lad would be nice.”
Outside of his three Group One rides Marquand will team up with Haggas to ride Crown Of Oaks in the Balmoral Handicap and the Hugo Palmer-trained Ardisa in the newly formed Qipco British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes to complete a busy day in the saddle.
He added: “It was a big performance Crown Of Oaks put up the time before last at Ascot and he was probably backed up too quickly when he ran in Ireland.
“The Balmoral that has been won by horses that have won over a mile and a quarter. Okay, it is not going to be a bog, but it will still be autumn ground so it won’t be sharp.
“The big thing has been gelding him as that has seemed to work. He is a talented horse and hopefully he can continue on that upward trajectory.
“There are not many more experienced than Ardisia in the race and she has been super consistent.
"It is a great initiative to have this race on the card and she is a good ride to pick up in the race.”
While the meeting will signal the winding down of matters for some in the weighing room for Marquand, who has seen his season ramp up a notch recently, it will be the start of a hectic autumn and early winter spell to wrap up his year.
Marquand said: “Until the last few weeks it had been an alright year numbers wise, but I just felt like we were battling a bit with the big horses.
“Until September I only had the one Group One from down in Australia back in April, but I was fortunate the way it worked out at Doncaster getting the ride on Scandinavia in the St Leger and then on Caballo De Mar in France the other day in the Prix du Cadran.
“It has ended up turning into a good year with plenty of big trips still to come to Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and potentially to come beyond Champions Day.
“Everybody is saying we are nearly there, but for me it is just beginning, however you can’t complain about having too much on your plate when you have asked to eat it.”
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