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By Ray Hickson

A relatively quiet lap of Canterbury earlier this week was enough to tell jockey Tom Marquand that globetrotting star Dubai Honour is ready to pick up where he left off in Australia at Rosehill on Saturday.

Jockey Tom Marquand (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Last time we saw the seven-year-old he was streaking away from the likes of Anamoe in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes two years ago.

In the time that has passed, trainer William Haggas has transformed the gelding into a genuine 2400m horse on the world stage so the Group 1 $1.5m KIA Tancred Stakes (2400m) was a logical target.

Marquand said it’s more of a natural progression for Dubai Honour, who opened $3.60 with TAB on Wednesday, that he’s relishing the slightly longer journey these days.

“That’s the way he’s gone being older, and with his racing style, but he’s been really effective at the trip,’’ Marquand said.

“He won a Group 1 in France at the distance and has run super in Hong Kong at it too. Seemingly it’s where he is now, especially on a sharper track like Rosehill it’s definitely up his alley.

“He feels great, really well. It was more just a pipe opener (on Tuesday) and hopefully it has him in the right spot.”

A slashing last start second in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m) in December behind Giavellotto told Marquand he’s going as well as ever in international Group 1 company.

And the prospect of a rain affected track adds confidence that he can be the same horse that won the Ranvet and Queen Elizabeth in a canter in 2023.

“There’s nothing to say he isn’t, it’s hard to gauge when they are travelling but he is a seasoned professional at it now,’’ he said.

“Issy (Paul, stable rep) obviously knows him really well and if she’s happy with where he is that tells the tale for everyone else.

“He’s in a good spot and she’d be fairly quick to notice if he wasn’t. There’s no doubt that he prefers a bit of slower ground so any rain that comes will be of help.

“Off the back of that Hong Kong run you’d like to think it pegs him as one of the horses to beat. So hopefully he can be competitive and put up a good show.

“It’s a testament to William and the team for being so game, we were unfortunate to miss a year last year down here and to be brave enough to come back and give it another crack it’s great.

“It’s what they’re good at with these horses, they’ve got it down to a fine art so hopefully we can get it right again.”

Marquand’s other Group 1 ride on Saturday is on Powers Of Opal in the $750,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and he’s taken the opportunity to get a feel for the filly in trackwork.

The John Sargent trained filly was runner-up to the boom Vinery favourite Treasurethe Moment in the Wakeful and VRC Oaks in the spring and she’s wearing the blinkers for the first time as she steps out in trip at her third run this autumn.

Cracking ride, @oismurphy! 🇬🇧 Giavellotto pounces late to land the 2024 @LONGINES Hong Kong Vase... 🏆@AtTheRaces | #HKIR | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/m8mfCf0Jl3

— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) December 8, 2024

Dubai Honour runs second in the Hong Kong Vase (Video: HKJC Racing on X)

“She felt to me like she enjoyed a bit of cushion in the track. Blinkers are on and that should help too,’’ Marquand said.

“She’s not out of her place in there on her best form.”

All the fields, form and replays for Stakes day at Rosehill