Morrison mulls Quickthorn options

Cumberland Lodge and Prix Royal-Oak both in reckoning.

Hughie Morrison is considering options for Quickthorn after the improving four-year-old’s unlikely victory at Salisbury.

There are several races, from a mile and a half to two miles, which the East Ilsley handler will look at, both at home and in France.

Quickthorn deserves to win a Pattern race on the evidence of his success at Salisbury – where he lost many lengths at the start yet was able to defeat last year’s St Leger runner-up Berkshire Rocco in the Persian Punch Conditions Stakes.

He had run a massive race on his previous start when going down by a head in the Ebor at York behind Sonnyboyliston, who has gone on to lift the Irish St Leger.

“We’ve got lots of little ideas. We might run him in a couple of weeks,” said Morrison.

“There’s a Listed race at Saint-Cloud (the Prix Scaramouche) over a mile and six; there’s the Cumberland Lodge at Ascot over a mile and a half, or we might go big and go for the Prix Royal-Oak (at ParisLongchamp) or go to Newbury for the St Simon.

“There are not that many options. The ideal ones would be over a mile and a six, and there’s also a two-mile race at Newmarket next week.”

He added: “The Ebor was a very good race – and I think his performance last week was too, given the way he gave away so much distance through no fault of his own.”

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