Quickthorn in the mix for York

Royal Ascot winner carrying high hopes for Hughie Morrison.

Hughie Morrison is eyeing the John Smith’s Silver Cup at York on Saturday for his impressive Royal Ascot winner Quickthorn.

Having just the sixth run of his career the four-year-old justified 7-2 favouritism in the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap.

Now rated 103, Morrison hopes he has a new stable star on his hands.

“As long as we don’t have any issues I think he’s a proper horse,” he said.

“If you watch him go up the gallops like I do most mornings, he has the most wonderful stride on him. You could imagine him hopping over Becher’s Brook and going round Badminton or Burghley – he’s one of those types.

“We’d like to run him on better ground so he might go to York for the Group Three over a mile and six furlongs.

“I think a little bit of cut helps because he’s strong and it doesn’t stop him.

“We need a good horse, we’ve only got 50 in so you need one. Recently we’ve had the likes of Telecaster and Marmelo and we need one to help us along.”

When asked if one day Quickthorn might go hurdling like stablemate Not So Sleepy Morrison said with a smile: “I think we’ll probably keep him to the Flat!”

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