Tom Marquand's uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time paid off spectacularly Sept. 12 with Pertemps St. Leger (G1) success at Doncaster on Galileo Chrome, a horse he was not even riding a day beforehand.
Barely had Marquand passed the post than he was expressing sympathy for Irish jockey Shane Crosse, who was denied the chance to land a first British Classic after testing positive for COVID-19.
Marquand was free as his intended partner, English King, had earlier been switched to the Grand Prix de Paris (G1)—but no one should be surprised at the latest fortunate turn of his events in a breakthrough season for the 22-year-old.
It began when he found himself in Australia while all racing was shut down in Britain and grabbed the opportunity to make a name for himself there, notably riding the first group 1 winner of his career.
When the action resumed back home, Marquand was jocked off English King, who was then Derby favorite, only to take second at Epsom on stablemate Khalifa Sat instead.
Once again he took full advantage of the chance offered him on Galileo Chrome, an improving colt who had won all three starts in Ireland for Joseph O'Brien in 2020.
Always in touch in a race in which seven of the runners were virtually in line two furlongs out, he sent the 4-1 shot to the front over a furlong from home and drove him out to score by a neck.
That made O'Brien, successful as a jockey on Leading Light in 2013, the first man since Harry Wragg to ride and train a Leger winner.
Marquand did not attempt to conceal his excitement afterward and said: "It's probably the most cliched thing that can come out of my mouth but it really is dreams come true.
"Classics in Britain are some of the hardest races to come across, group 1s in Britain are equally hard. To have my first winner on U. K. soil in the St Leger for Joseph O'Brien, who growing up at my time was one of the best jockeys around and is now training and doing a similar job—it's mind-blowing to get an opportunity like this."
But he added: "I can't stress enough how bad I feel for Shane because we've all been in a situation where things haven't gone our way and we're both relatively young so I really can relate.
"He'll be sat at home in pieces no doubt and I guess the one thing in racing is that it always comes back 'round so no doubt he'll have his day. I look forward to seeing him do it."
Reflecting on his year, Marquand said: "Time and time again it's all fallen my way. It's incredible how racing works everything out. I lost English King in the Derby and gained Khalifa Sat and finished second.
"Then I got English King back for today and he ended up going to France for a more favorable race and I can't go there as I'd have to do the week's quarantine after. And Shane Crosse's misfortune has luckily for me ended up in my lap."
Marquand's partner Hollie Doyle has been grabbing the headlines of late, notably when becoming the first woman to ride a five-timer in Britain last month.
"We're both really fortunate to be in the position we're in," he said. "To have the run we've had over the last couple of years and we're both extremely proud of each other's achievements. Long may the household continue on this path!"
Berkshire Rocco gave Andrew Balding plenty to shout about as he led over two furlongs and battled with the winner all the way to the line.
"He wears his heart on his sleeve, he kept digging in but it wasn't quite enough," the trainer said. "He gave us all a big thrill. I must say I don't shout very often but I had a good shout today! It's really exciting because it's a race we all want to win."
Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (G2) winner Pyledriver finished third on this step up in trip and jockey Martin Dwyer said: "He ran a great race but he didn't stay, it was too far.
"After York I said he could come back to a mile and a quarter. I thought I'd win turning in but he was tired in the last furlong, it was just out of his comfort zone."
The drying ground was reckoned to be against Santiago, whose jockey Frankie Dettori said: "Santiago probably wants a bit of cut in the ground. He came there to win but he wasn't leveling off like I thought he would."
Australia, Elzaam Get Their Day
It had been a fair time coming but Australia provided a candidate tailor-made for the rigors of the St. Leger as the Coolmore stallion shed his group 1 maiden tag at Doncaster.
On the same day six years ago, the chestnut dual Derby winner was not in action in the world's oldest classic but across the water, where he suffered a painful defeat to The Grey Gatsby at long odds-on in what was to be his swansong in the Irish Champion Stakes (G1).
With regal middle-distance breeding as a son of Galileo out of wonder mare Ouija Board, along with further form including a Guineas third and victory in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1), Australia headed to Coolmore Stud with the world at his feet.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given those bloodlines, his progeny have needed time and a trip, with Galileo Chrome being one of his second crop, which were conceived at €50,000.
Australia provided the runner-up in last year's Leger through Sir Ron Priestley, one of eight other group winners to date among his offspring. They include classic trial victors Bangkok and Broome as well as this year's Irish Oaks (G1) runner-up Cayenne Pepper.
Although his fee slipped to €27,500 for this year, Mooresbridge hero Leo De Fury and German group 1 third Patrick Sarsfield have been fine examples of long-term improvers among Australia's older sons.
The distaff side of Galileo Chrome also gave cause for optimism as he made the giant jump in class from a listed race at Navan on only his fifth start.
Bred by Mohamed Ali Meddeb, he is from a robust family developed by Prince Faisal Salman's Denford Stud near Berkshire. His dam Curious Mind won on her debut for Sir Mark Prescott in the Denford silks and was sold privately for €75,000 at Arqana in 2015.
More significantly the mare is a half-sister to Michelangelo, who was third to Encke and Camelot in the 2012 Leger, as well as Chester Cup winner No Heretic and Private Secretary, who won the 11-furlong Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood.
Curious Mind's dam Intrigued is a sibling of both the French Guineas winner Aussie Rules and Approach, the dam of Denford's top-class grey Coronet, who was on the scoresheet at the highest level twice last year.
Curious Mind has also produced an as-yet-unnamed full sister to Galileo Chrome, and Ali Meddeb, a major owner in Tunisia, is also the breeder of a Dream Ahead colt produced in March this year.
Saturday saw another stallion open their group 1 account as the fast-improving Champers Elysees provided a similar landmark win for Johnny Murtagh in the Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes.
Her sire Elzaam was beaten a whisker in the Coventry Stakes (G1) and has been at Joe Foley's Ballyhane Stud in Ireland since retirement, his fee always hovering around its present €4,000.
Champers Elysees had become only his second group winner when landing the Fairy Bridge Stakes earlier this month, proving Murtagh has an eye for a bargain too as he picked up the Aughanmore Stud pinhook for €28,000 as a yearling at Part 2 of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.
