‘I'm a lucky boy'

A twist of fate lands Tom Marquand St Leger glory, the O’Briens make it a family affair and Longchamp results leave the Arc door wide open

- Hannah Lemieux

JOCKEY Tom Marquand is not a great believer in luck, but he conceded that the 244th Pertemps St Leger had fallen his way after winning on Galileo Chrome, and in the process he gave trainer Joseph O’Brien a first British Classic at Doncaster on Saturday, 12 September.

For Irish apprentice Shane Crosse, who was due to ride the colt, it was a salutary lesson in the workings of “Sod’s law”. Though totally asymptomatic, he tested positive for Covid-19 on his mandatory test before travelling from Ireland on Friday. If he was showing no symptoms before, he would have been as sick as a parrot after watching the St Leger contest on television.

The irony of it all was not lost on Marquand. He was jocked off Derby favourite English King in favour of the more experienced Frankie Dettori in the Epsom Classic, only to finish in front of him on Khalifa Sat. Marquand got back on English King for the St Leger, but the colt was switched to Longchamp on Sunday – making Marquand available when the ride on Galileo Chrome became available halfway through Friday afternoon.

O’Brien’s Australia-sired colt has been unbeaten this season but nevertheless still slightly under the radar, until winning a Listed race by five lengths over 1m5f a fortnight earlier. He was one of four horses vying for favouritism along with Aidan O’Brien’s Irish Derby winner, Santiago, the Great Voltigeur winner Pyledriver and Geoffrey Freer winner Hukum. But it was ultimately 16/1 shot Berkshire Rocco who pushed Galileo Chrome all the way to the line.