Hughie Morrison is setting his sights on a debut appearance at Ascot's prestigious Gold Cup this season with his top stayer, Quickthorn.
The seven-year-old clinched victory in the Group Three Henry II Stakes at Sandown and a Group Two event in France a few years back, before delivering an impressive 14-length triumph in the Lonsdale Cup at York.
Displaying a commanding front-running style, Quickthorn also secured the Goodwood Cup last season. Despite lingering doubts about his endurance, Morrison is keen to test his mettle in the Royal Ascot's flagship two-and-a-half-mile race in mid-June.
"Quickthorn has returned to training and has shown good progress over the winter. He came in earlier than usual due to some mischievous behaviour at home, possibly due to the wet conditions,"
shared the trainer.
"He has started his cantering work, and although I am uncertain about his ability to handle the Gold Cup distance, I believe it's worth a shot this year. With age, horses tend to have better stamina."
The primary focus for Quickthorn this season will be the Gold Cup, with a potential debut run at Sandown in the Henry II Stakes. Morrison explained,
"We usually get around three to four months of peak performance out of him, so we might delay his start to the season and assess as we go along."
Another horse on Morrison's radar for top-level competition is Stay Alert, who competed in Group One races on four occasions last season, finishing as a runner-up behind Via Sistina in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh in July.
Excited about Stay Alert's upcoming campaign, Morrison remarked,
"The owner has decided to give Stay Alert another shot at the top level. She will be aimed at the mile-and-a-quarter fillies' races on suitable good ground conditions."
Morrison also has high hopes for Mistral Star, a mare who secured second place in a Listed race last season. He expressed his optimism, stating,
"I have strong expectations for Mistral Star to secure a Group race victory this year."