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Take a bow, Tom Marquand! More Thunder strikes at Newmarket
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Sat 3 May 2025
More Thunder left it late to book his ticket to Royal Ascot, as Tom Marquand delivered his mount with perfection in the Betfred Handicap at Newmarket.
Remarkably, the four-year-old was a winner over 10 furlongs for Sir Michael Stoute, but has excelled since enterprisingly sent sprinting by new trainer William Haggas and made it two from two for the Somerville Lodge team after some real artistry in the saddle from Marquand aboard the 11-4 favourite.
Haggas said: “Tom said he just hit a ridge at the wrong time, but he stayed on well. He felt it was more the track that meant he got there so late rather than the distance. He felt he was plenty fast enough.
“I think something like the Wokingham might be the sensible route at this stage. If we didn’t he’d have to go into a stakes race, but at the moment he’s still low enough to be competitive in handicaps.
“He did have 3lb less than he should have done today and that would have made all the difference.”
Tiger Bay roared home to claim the Oddschecker British EBF Ellen Chaloner Stakes.
It looked like William Knight’s front-running Frost At Dawn had slipped the field approaching the final furlong, but Henry Candy’s 11-1 chance ran on powerfully once Trevor Whelan slipped her into top gear, registering a neck verdict in the Listed event.
“I thought she had plenty to find on ratings, but looking at her there should still be more to come as she hasn’t quite come in her coat yet,” said Candy.
“She’ll be stepping up to seven furlongs I would have thought, she was taken off her feet there and I didn’t think she was going to get there in time.
“The problem is the next seven-furlong race is the Chartwell at Lingfield, but it will come too soon and there aren’t many other options so we’ll just have to see, she might have to race against the boys.”
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