Two Flat jockeys who met in the Pony Club and have raced against each other ever since became husband and wife on “the best day that will ever be”.
Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle married in a small ceremony in Hollie’s home county of Herefordshire on Monday (21 March).
Tom, 23, and Hollie, 25, said their vows at St John’s Church in Ivington, followed by a reception at Bredenbury Court Barns.
Tom said: “The best day that will ever be. Thank you so much for all the kind messages, we had the most amazing day and can’t wait to see what our future may hold.”
Having said their vows, the couple arrived at the reception venue in a vintage Fiat 500, ready for their celebration with family and friends; and the newlyweds headed towards the car in the presence of an inflatable horse and a guest in a jockey’s outfit. The silks were the same as the ones Hollie wore when she rode Trueshan to a historic victory in last year’s Goodwood Cup.
Both Tom and Hollie have so far enjoyed incredibly successful careers in the saddle, with a number of Group One victories to their names. Hollie broke her own record for winners ridden in a season by a lady rider in this country, when securing her 117th victory of 2020 on State Occasion at Kempton. She also became the first female jockey to ride five winners on the same British card with a remarkable 899/1 quintuple at Windsor in 2020.
The couple, who met in their Pony Club days and competed in pony racing against each other, became engaged while on holiday at the end of 2019.
There is no time for a honeymoon at the moment though, as both Tom and Hollie are due to be riding at the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan Racecourse in the UAE this Saturday (26 March), before rushing back to the UK to take up a number of rides at Doncaster on Sunday.
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