Marquand hoping to see the sun keep shining in Paris

By Racing TV

Last Updated: Wed 23 Sep 2026

Tom Marquand is enjoying talk of a dry spell in France as he looks forward to riding Maltese Cross in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Neither trainer William Haggas or Marquand have won the Parisian showpiece, but in the Derby runner-up they hold a leading chance.

Currently second-favourite behind last year’s winner Daryz, Maltese Cross won the Grand Prix de Paris over the Arc course and distance in July and defied a Group One penalty for that in the Great Voltigeur at York.

His sole defeat in five outings this season came in the Derby on very soft ground, so understandably connections have one eye on the weather – and certainly like what they are seeing of late.

“We’re enjoying the sunshine! He looked fantastic the other morning,” Marquand told Racing TV.

“I’ve not sat on him since York, but he looks brilliant. Fresh and well.

“It’s exciting, I’m just praying there’s no one out there doing a rain dance. Hopefully we get plenty of sun now, it looks like it, it’s just extremely exciting for the whole team.”

Not far behind Maltese Cross in the betting is Andrew Balding’s top-class filly Kalpana.

She beat the boys in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot but only just held on when back against her own sex in the Yorkshire Oaks, which Balding thinks could have been down to the softer ground.

He said: “I think she wants good ground, she was at her best on good to firm in the King George.

“Possibly the very soft ground at York just found her out towards the end of the race. Good ground or a little quicker than that will be fine.”

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