Tom Marquand believes Dubai Honour “feels better than he did last year” as the globetrotting money spinner bids to turn the tables on Romantic Warrior in Sunday’s Group One QE II Cup (2,000m).

Beaten two and a half lengths in third behind Danny Shum Chap-shing’s superstar and Japanese raider Prognosis in last year’s renewal, Dubai Honour will look to reverse the form and in the process land a first top-level success in Hong Kong for regular visitor Marquand.

“I’ve not quite had any luck yet on one of the big days,” Marquand said. “But everyone has been really happy with Dubai Honour. I jumped aboard him before he was meant to go to Australia and he feels better than he did last year.

“He’s had a good build-up to this race and it feels like everything is coming together for Sunday.”

While the William Haggas-trained gelding triumphed in two Group Ones Down Under before he visited Sha Tin last year, Dubai Honour did not head to Australia this term after he suffered a setback.

Unable to defend his Ranvet Stakes (2,000m) and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m) crowns, Dubai Honour had a spin around Kempton at the beginning of the month and brushed aside his Magnolia Stakes (2,000m) rivals with relative ease.

“You have to be realistic and we have a bit to find with Romantic Warrior, but we’ve had a different preparation this year and he’s coming here with fresher legs,” Marquand said.

“It will be really interesting to see what the difference will be with that prep. Having sat on him this year he feels really good and last year there was the uncertainty of how he’d take all the travelling.

“I feel like as a horse he’s matured a good bit for the travelling and that’s put him in a good place. But he’ll have to be very good at the weekend to win.”

Dubai Honour failed to add to his win tally on his two starts in England after last season’s QE II Cup but ran with credit behind top-class gallopers in the Group One Coral-Eclipse (2,000m) and Group One Champion Stakes (2,000m).

While he thrived in Australia – collecting his two Group One wins by a cumulative seven lengths – Dubai Honour’s victory in the Magnolia Stakes marked his first in Britain since July 2021.

Romantic Warrior ready for battle in historic hat-trick bid: ‘He’s a brute’

From gate nine Marquand will be able to have one eye on Romantic Warrior, who drew barrier 10, and the British jockey is not worried about potentially testing conditions.

“If it rains on the day, the ground will have a bit of moisture on it and his record on that sort of ground is exceptional,” said the jockey.

Dubai Honour skipped through the rain-softened ground to reign supreme in Sydney’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes, while he also claimed Group Two wins on very soft and good-to-soft ground in France back in 2021.