'I'm up against it' - Tom Marquand laments one-meeting rule as title chances slip away

Tom Marquand has conceded he faces an uphill task in wresting this year's jockeys' championship from title holder William Buick, stating the one-meeting rule, which has remained in place since the sport returned under Covid protocols, makes it all but impossible for him to close the gap.

On Wednesday Marquand drew a blank at Sandown and, with exactly one month until the season finale, Champions Day at Ascot, now trails Buick by 26 winners after the Godolphin number one rattled off a four-timer at Yarmouth to take his championship tally to 116.

"I’m up against it, barring anything happening," Marquand said at Sandown. "I stuck my head down at the start of the season and tried to ride as many winners as I could and it’s not been enough to keep me right on William’s heels. I 100 per cent want to do it. It’s one of my biggest goals and I’d love to manage it one day."