Coral-Eclipse preview: Dubai Honour ready for big test
After delivering King Charles III his first Royal Ascot winner aboard stablemate Desert Hero in the King George V Handicap last month, the Classic-winning rider will attempt to add to that success aboard the Pride Of Dubai gelding in the mile and a quarter feature.
The William Haggas-trained five year old fail to get his head in front in five starts last year, however he enjoyed a profitable trip to Australia earlier this year with Group One wins in the Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.
And although Dubai Honour, who was last sighted finishing third in the FWD QEII Cup at Sha Tin, Hong Kong, in April is currently a 12-1 chance with race sponsor Coral to secure a first domestic top-level success Marquand believes he is not there to make up the numbers.
Marquand said: “Dubai Honour is all set to go at the weekend. I’ve not sat on him at all since Hong Kong but I saw him the other day and he looks great and I know they are happy with him.
“He had a fantastic time in Australia. He got his maiden Group One on the board then his second one in quick succession. He had to beat some good horses in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He then went to Hong Kong and he ran a very respectable race on ground that was probably just too sharp. Romantic Warrior has proven himself at that level on lots of occasions now. He never really had a clean run at the big days last season but going abroad proved pivotal in getting his head over the line in a big one.
“He has had a freshen up since he has come back and I’m looking forward to seeing him back on a British racecourse. Emily Upjohn was fantastic at Epsom in the Coronation Cup and she has an electric turn of foot while Paddington gets so much weight from us and he looks very good. He doesn’t have as much to find as it might initially look, and he would be a horse that would be well capable of finding any flaws in any of their armour.”
While Dubai Honour is yet to make an impression at the highest level in Britain, Marquand hopes he can take inspiration from former stablemate Addeybb, who successfully transferred his impressive international form back on home territory.
Marquand added: “Going abroad proved pivotal in getting Dubai Honour’s head over the line in a big one. As with saw with Addeybb he won his first Group One races down there then he came back and went and won a Champion Stakes later in his career back here. Hopefully this lad can take another step forward for getting his head in front down there and can crack on as a Group One horse. He had to bridge the class gap realistically in Australia, but he is an older horse and he is coming together now.”
Although Dubai Honour and Addeybb share similarities in their international form figures Marquand feels that both horses, despite being talented, are very different as individuals.
He added: “Both Dubai Honour and Addeybb have taken their travelling very well, but both are different types of horses to ride and have anything to do with.
Addeybb was not a flash horse, he was just workmanlike. He would just grind it out. Whereas Dubai Honour, as he showed when winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, has probably got a bit more natural zip in him. Addeybb managed to prove it again and again and the longevity was there which is testament to what everyone at Somerville Lodge did to him over the years. Dubai Honour is starting that journey now and hopefully he can continue on that right path.”
Most of Dubai Honour’s best form has come with plenty of ease in the ground, however Marquand expects conditions at the Esher track to be suitable for the Mohamed Obaida-owned gelding even if the rain doesn’t arrive in great quantities.
He added: “You can always rely on Sandown to have a nice sensible surface. There are little bits of rain around but you know if it isn’t going to rain it will have water put on it and it will be a nice sensible surface to race on which will be key for him.
“At one point we thought a mile and a half might be up his street but he proved so effective in Australia over 10 furlongs. I think a stiff 10 furlongs is where he is at and Sandown should suit him. It looks like it all lines up.”
On official figures Dubai Honour comes out ahead of both Anmaat and Emily Upjohn, with only Irish 2000 Guineas hero and St James’s Palace Stakes scorer Paddington rated higher.
And although Marquand acknowledges that Dubai Honour needs to continue his momentum if he is to win, he is looking forward to the challenge that awaits him.
He concluded: “I’ve been lucky that the other horses I’ve ridden in the Eclipse, Alenquer and Addeybb had won Group Ones going into the race, just like Dubai Honour has. Addeybb ran an extremely solid race against the likes of St Mark’s Basilica and Mishriff. I think this race probably compares to that year the most. I’d say he probably has slipped under the radar a bit but a lot of water has gone under the bridge since he was winning his Group Ones in Australia.
“The memory of those wins has been pushed back to a lot of people’s minds as the others have been doing it more recently. He has got to improve on what he is doing to beat the top three in the market, but he will be competitive. If he runs up to his best, he will put in a solid effort that is for sure. Any Group One is hard to come by but going into the weekend on a horse that has a squeak is something to look forward to.”
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