Marcel (horse)

Marcel made his first appearance in a seven furlong maiden race at Ascot Racecourse on 11 July in which he started a 16/1 outsider and finished fifth behind Ray's The Bar. The colt reappeared on 31 August in a similar event at Newcastle Racecourse and started the 7/4 joint-favourite against seven opponents. Ridden by James Doyle he took the lead approaching the final furlong and went clear of the field to win by three and three quarter lengths.[5]

For his third and final start as a juvenile, Marcel was stepped up sharply in class for the Racing Post Trophy over one mile at Doncaster Racecourse on 24 October. The Royal Lodge Stakes winner Foundation started favourite whilst Marcel was the 33/1 outsider in the seven runner field. The other runners included Deauville (Tyros Stakes), Johannes Vermeer (Juvenile Turf Stakes) and the highly regarded maiden winner Mengli Khan. After being restrained by Andrea Atzeni in the early stages, Marcel made rapid progress and overtook Deauville to take the lead a furlong and a half from the finish. He stayed on well in the closing stages to win by one and a half lengths from Johannes Vermeer with Foundation two and a half lengths back in third place.[6] After the race Chapple-Hyam commented "I thought we would be placed but I didn't really see us beating John Gosden's horse (Foundation). He is a big horse and he has taken time to come together. His work had been really good coming into the race".[7]

On his first appearance as a three-year-old, Marcel contested the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley mile at Newmarket on 30 April. After encouraging reports of his training performances he started the 8/1 third favourite but after being in contention for most of the way he faded badly in the final quarter mile and finished last of the thirteen runners behind Galileo Gold. He never raced again and was retired from racing at the end of the year.