Tag: Hughie Morrison

TDN Horses of the Year: Quickthorn 

Continuing the profiles of the favourite horses of TDN Europe's editorial team in 2023, Heather Anderson selects a bold frontrunner with huge reserves of stamina.

At first glance, the admirable Quickthorn (GB), by Newsells Park Stud's perpetually under-appreciated Nathaniel (Ire), had compiled a fairly successful record as a member of the staying ranks throughout his five-year career prior to his Goodwood heroics this August. However, the Lady Blyth homebred elevated his game to another level when taking the G1 Goodwood Cup this summer, and it was the manner in which he did it, that made this the performance of the year for me.

The Hughie Morrison trainee first came to my attention in August of 2022, when winning the G2 Lonsdale Cup S. at York as, from my home in America, that was my first opportunity to stream one of his races live. Teaming up with regular pilot Tom Marquand, Quickthorn delivered a front-end processional performance and I marked him down as one of my horses to follow. Granted, Quickthorn's proclivity for excelling when out on his lonesome was not exactly a state secret, as he'd earlier won the G3 Henry II S. and G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil in the spring and summer of 2022 utilising similar tactics.

He put me in mind of noted U.S.-based frontrunner Presious Passion (Royal Anthem), a two-time winner of the GI United Nations S. at Monmouth Park in New Jersey (2008/2009), who gave Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) a scare in the 2009 GI Breeders' Cup Turf when just failing to last.

Needless to say, Quickthorn, a son of three-time winner Daffydowndilly (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and one of six winners from six foals of racing age from his dam, is well suited to his profession as a quality stayer. He has proven time and again that he not only has the stamina, but also a truly devastating cruising speed, if allowed to employ it. Indeed, immediately prior to the Goodwood Cup, the gelding had landed a listed race at York, giving the impression that he was rounding back into his late-summer form of the season before.

So, it was at first with bemusement and then with incredulous glee that I saw the 6-year-old bowling along alone on the lead over the Goodwood turf, a chilly Marquand doing his best statue impression (video). The margin between Quickthorn and his rivals increased with every stride the farther they travelled from the starting stalls.

Surely, with all the experienced and feted jockeys signed on–Dettori, Moore, Buick and Murphy to name a few–they wouldn't let Marquand and Quickthorn just gallop? The rest of the 11-horse field was loaded with quality horses, with no less than three Group 1 winners in attendance–Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}). Most of the remainder had at least one group title to their names, befitting the sheer class of one of the preeminent staying challenges of the British Flat season.

Despite the quality of the competition, it was worth remembering that Quickthorn, a proven stayer, would not fold once the real running began. The multiple group winner belonged in a field of this calibre, and had developed a reputation of being an especially tough nut to crack when given his ideal set up. And they gave it to him–a critical miscalculation–on a silver platter.

Running through my mind as the race unfolded was the simple fact that he shouldn't be able to get away with this in a Group 1 race. These were some of the best stayers and jockeys in the world. They knew his game and they knew it before the stalls ever opened. Surely at least one of the rival jockeys would send their mount to apply some pressure?

By the time the final quarter-mile was reached and the multi-pronged chasing pack was mounting a fruitless challenge a short time later, I was hard pressed to remember when was the last time I'd enjoyed watching a race to this extent. And it was this enjoyment, of watching a horse and rider in their undisputed element, that made the race linger in my mind long after Quickthorn and Marquand continued their relentless gallop all the way to the winning post. Nigh uncatchable. 

A tip of the cap to Quickthorn, who was later nominated for the 2023 Cartier Stayer award, and to his connections. It was truly a delight and privilege to watch.

 

 

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Nathaniel’s Quickthorn In Brilliant Goodwood Cup Solo

Maybe the fact that it is so demanding means that it can only be a once-a-year thing, but Lady Blyth's Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}–Daffydowndilly {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) is a joy to behold when he delivers his runaway train impression and Goodwood's gathering had a full two miles to appreciate it again on Tuesday as he turned the G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup into a one-horse show.

As he had last August when issuing a 14-length beating to Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in York's G2 Lonsdale Cup over this two-mile trip, the Hughie Morrison-trained Secretariat of the stayers was allowed to stride on at the pace he is comfortable at by Tom Marquand but which is simply too quick for the rest of this division's leading protagonists.

Turning for home, the yawning gap was still too sizeable for any to bridge and by the time the 16-1 shot hit the line there was still six lengths back to the nearest in the pursuing blanket. That turned out to be Emily Dickinson (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who denied Coltrane the silver medal by a short head, with the G1 Gold Cup-winning 2-1 favourite Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) only sixth in a race that will be cherished for many years for the sheer audacity of the winning performance.

“He's a fun horse to ride,” Marquand said. “There's no masterplan with him. Down at the gates Frankie looked across and laughed and said 'are you going to drop in?' He goes out wearing his heart on his sleeve and everybody knows what he's going to do and they still can't stop him. It is testament to how good he is. He's had some great days, but he deserved a Group 1 and it would have felt wrong if he had never got one.”

By the time Quickthorn had demolished the opposition in the Lonsdale Cup last August, he was on a three-timer having also garnered the G3 Henry II S. at Sandown and ParisLongchamp's G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil. As if that effort took him past his limit, his following three outings which included a disappointing no-show in the G1 Prix du Cadran had seen his stock fall and that York tour de force seem an aberration. It all came back together again as he returned to the Knavesmire for the 14-furlong Listed Grand Cup last time, as he was able to turn back the subsequent G2 Princess of Wales's S. winner Israr (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) and while there was much upside to that form this was a deep Goodwood Cup and most were happy to overlook him.

What was remarkable about this performance was that Quickthorn actually ran at the right tempo throughout having shown alacrity on this tricky circuit to gain a huge four-second gap or just over 20 lengths on everything after the first mile. Given a breather out in isolation from seven to five out, he was asked to go again from there and instead of caving in continued to churn out sectionals strong enough to ensure the margin never approached being cut back. The gap to Coltrane et al was 15 lengths three furlongs from home and while he was almost 2 1/2 seconds slower than Emily Dickinson from there to the line, she was too far back to make a genuine difference.

Quickthorn's final three-furlong percentage was an almost bang-on 101.45%, while Emily Dickinson was at 108.63%, so that means that the leader was ridden ideally and the filly was given too much to do along with the next four home who finished in a tight bunch. Perhaps the main reason why such class horses got so far adrift was the relatively slow pace set by Oisin Murphy as he lead the peloton, determined not to provide Frankie with a target as he had at Royal Ascot. The others trusted Murphy's judgement and ultimately paid for it.

On the back of some remarkable staying performances in the last 12 months, from the Cadran win of Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to the Northumberland Plate success of Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) and all the parts played by the scene's other main actors Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Coltrane, this was something else. Marquand's ride will be recalled for some time to come and he was quick to pardon those in behind in the aftermath.

“It's easy to say in hindsight, but I wouldn't be putting down other riders in behind as you would be doing them a disservice–I would be giving this lad credit for going such a gallop,” he explained. “If I was in behind I would have done the same. He's a relentless galloper and you think 'no horse can keep that up' but it's a case of going and finding a rhythm and wherever that puts you, it puts you. Obviously we showed that in the Lonsdale Cup last year and it just feels like the right way to ride him.”

Hughie Morrison said, “I was amazed he was that price, but we don't mind. We were pretty bullish today and no one was prepared to be the chaser, but had they been they would have probably not got there and then finished out the back. He's got a huge stride and I'd love to do an analysis on that, as it would be something for posterity I think, and he's quite quick. When you cover that kind of ground, it's psychologically hard work for the others to get there.”

“It's great to see that York last year wasn't a fluke and the Lonsdale was like a Group 1, but the opposition didn't turn up,” his trainer added. “I'm sure we would have dealt with Stradivarius and Trueshan there as we dealt with the others today and he was as straight as a die at the end–you wondered if something had come to him he would have picked up again. He's quite hard on himself at home–every other horse has to do about three strides for his one–and so probably in the autumn, he seems to go over the top. That's fair enough after you see what he does on days like today, so we're probably quite nervous about going into the autumn with him again. He's in the Lonsdale again and he'll have a penalty this year, he's got an entry in Ireland [in the G1 Irish St Leger].”

Paying tribute to the owner-breeders, Morrison concluded, “It is fantastic for James and Pam [Blyth], who bred him and it's fantastic to see they kept him and owned him. They have been very patient with him and we've got our rewards. We don't have a huge amount of horses, 50 or 60, and it's fantastic to train these homebreds and to be able to bring them on so they reach their zenith at the right sort of age. Lady Blyth has bred a Grade 1 winner over jumps and a Group 1 winner now–not many people have done that.”

Oisin Murphy saw the damage was done early on as he pondered the ride on Coltrane, who had similarly never got anywhere near the winner at York last year. “It was obvious in the first furlong that Lone Eagle, Tashkhan and Broome–those horses you'd expect to go forward–weren't going forward, so I changed my plan and decided to let Coltrane roll down to the first turn,” he explained. “I thought Tom was very clever around those sharp bends, he allowed Quickthorn to really slip on. You can only go so fast around those turns, because they are quite sharp and by the time we turned to go back uphill, he had a sizeable advantage.”

“He had to use up a fair bit of energy, albeit basically going downhill, to get away from us but often you pay for that sort of ride and in the last furlong I wasn't sure if he would stop completely. I probably cost myself second position by trying to close the gap from three down. Quickthorn has a massive pair of lungs and covers so much ground, so he has enough pace to get away from a high-class field. I was aware of what could happen and he was still able to do it.”

Pedigree Notes

Lord and Lady Blyth's Daffydowndilly, who also has the improving 4-year-old gelding City Streak (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) with Andrew Balding who took a valuable 12-furlong handicap at Ascot on Friday, is a daughter of Art Eyes (Halling) who captured the Listed Noel Murless S. and was second in this meeting's Lillie Langtry S. when it was staged as a Group 3. From an old Aga Khan family, she has the yearling filly Tardaff (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) and a colt foal Scarlet Legend (GB) who is a full-brother to Quickthorn.

 

Tuesday, Goodwood, Britain
AL SHAQAB GOODWOOD CUP-G1, £500,000, Goodwood, 8-1, 3yo/up, 16fT, 3:33.65, g/s.
1–QUICKTHORN (GB), 137, g, 6, by Nathaniel (Ire)
                1st Dam: Daffydowndilly (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
                2nd Dam: Art Eyes, by Halling
                3rd Dam: Careyes (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
   1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Lady Blyth; B-Lemington Grange Stud
(GB); T-Hugh Morrison; J-Tom Marquand. £283,550. Lifetime
Record: GSW-Fr, 22-9-3-1, $1,005,333. Werk Nick Rating:
   A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Emily Dickinson (Ire), 134, f, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Chicquita (Ire),
by Montjeu (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Mrs J
Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg; B-Chicquita Syndicate
(IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £107,500.
3–Coltrane (Ire), 137, g, 6, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Promise Me
(Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). (50,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Mick
and Janice Mariscotti; B-Rockfield Farm (IRE); T-Andrew
Balding. £53,800.
Margins: 6, SHD, SHD. Odds: 16.00, 4.50, 3.00.
Also Ran: Eldar Eldarov (GB), Giavellotto (Ire), Courage Mon Ami (GB), Broome (Ire), Tashkhan (Ire), Lone Eagle (Ire), Ocean Wind (GB), Enemy (GB). VIDEO.

 

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Connections Of Stay Alert Lodge Pretty Polly Appeal

Connections of Stay Alert (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) have lodged an appeal against the decision of the Curragh stewards not to reverse the placings in Saturday's G1 Pretty Polly S.

The Hughie Morrison-trained four-year-old was beaten two lengths by George Boughey's Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the 10-furlong contest, but the Jamie Spencer-ridden winner hampered a number of rivals in the closing stages.

The interference occurred as the field approached the final furlong when Via Sistina hung right into the path of eventual fourth Rosscarbery, with jockey Billy Lee forced to check his mount, while the Ronan Whelan-ridden Stay Alert was also tightened up by the winner.

While the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board confirmed Spencer has appealed the severity of the six-day ban for careless riding he received following the race, Morrison felt the incident had proved crucial to the result.

He said, “The connections have appealed. As he (Spencer) pulled that horse out, it was hanging right. He then continued to ride it for possibly a furlong and he didn't make any correction until he'd seriously endangered two horses and two jockeys.

“If they can tell me they didn't feel endangered, then end of story. It was hanging all the way and should have been corrected at least 100 metres before the incidents took place.

“When you get stopped in your run when you are quickening up and you have 100 yards to make up three lengths, you are lucky to make up one.

“Any other sport and you'd be thrown out, more so because the fourth horse (Rosscarbery) was prevented from coming third, which was quite significant when you are talking about a Group One.”

Stay Alert had won the G3 Legacy Cup at Newbury in September and had dropped back in trip on her seasonal bow when fifth to Free Wind in the Middleton at York in May.

Equipped with a first-time tongue strap, she travelled well and showed marked improvement at the Curragh, and Morrison added, “It helped her, made her concentrate and did everything we expected it to do. I don't think she has a wind issue, it just helped her concentrate on the job.

“She showed how good she is. She is in the Yorkshire Oaks and there are a couple of races in France. Those are in the middle of August-there is nothing else for her.

“She could go for a colts' race somewhere, that might be tempting, but you never know what the ground will be like in Germany, and you'd like to win a big race before you go to France.

“This was the target for her all year, so it was frustrating. We got everything right, but hit the crossbar. We'd like to win a good one and we'd like a clean fight as well.”

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York: All Eyes On Gold Cup-Bound Eldar Eldarov In The Yorkshire Cup

Friday's G2 Boodles Yorkshire Cup features two high-class veterans in the G2 Lonsdale Cup winner Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) whose reinvention as a stayer was confirmed with a G2 Dubai Gold Cup success, but it could be that youth counts as Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) makes his seasonal return in the 14-furlong feature. Primed for two major efforts at three when successful in Royal Ascot's G2 Queen's Vase and the G1 St Leger at Doncaster, KHK Racing's flagbearer was only seventh stretching out to two miles in the G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup but is back in his sphere of comfort here. “He's really doing well of late and has obviously been very good at both tries over this distance,” trainer Roger Varian said. “We do see him being very effective when he races over Cup distances, but I think a mile and six furlongs is a good distance to start his season off at, and we hope he runs a good, solid race on Friday that means we can then take aim at the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.”

The Quick And The Dead

In a strong year for the stayers, the incredible 14-length success of Quickthorn in the two-mile Lonsdale Cup was one of the peak performances of 2022. Trainer Hughie Morrison believes that the impact of that wide-margin win from Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) was lost after his subsequent heavy defeats in the G1 Prix du Cadran and British Champions Long Distance Cup. Lady Blyth's homebred was also sixth behind Broome in the Dubai Gold Cup and the trainer is hoping he can arrest the worrying declining trend. “My concern is that I might have left my year behind in Dubai, but I've been perfectly happy with him at home,” he told the Qipco British Champions Series. “It wasn't easy getting him out of a field in December to have him ready for a fast-ground race in Dubai that looked like a group one three months later.”

“It was a Flightline-type performance, but he didn't get the Flightline-type recognition,” Morrison added of the Lonsdale Cup victory. “It might have been a once-in-a-lifetime performance, but I do think it was exceptional, and the disappointment was that neither Stradivarius nor Trueshan ran that day because we'd have got the credit then. Coltrane obviously didn't run to his best, but Quickthorn absolutely dominated him and I think if you look at the sectionals, he went fast all of the way. The ground had gone when he went to Longchamp, and it was the same story at Ascot. The year before he'd had enough by October, and I think that was probably a factor again, too.”

Marygate Poser

Friday's undercard at York includes the 19th edition of the five-furlong Listed Clipper EBF Marygate Fillies' S. which has attracted a trio of juveniles by first-crop sires. Chief among them is Amo Racing's TDN Rising Star Persian Dreamer (Calyx {GB}), one of two representing Dominic Ffrench Davis, who bids to underline a stunning debut performance at Newmarket last month. Her contemporaries include race sponsor Clipper Logistics' Newmarket runner-up Dorothy Lawrence (GB) (Soldier's Call {GB}) from the double-handed Karl Burke team and the once-raced Brian Ellison trainee Callianassa (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}).

Queen Bee?

Also on Friday is a potentially talent-rich renewal of the Listed Oaks Farm Stables Fillies' S., where Normandie Stud's TDN Rising Star Queen For You (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) bids to take further steps towards the G1 Coronation S. won by her dam Fallen For You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) 11 years ago. With the John and Thady Gosden stable which houses its usual quota of high-class fillies, she made the ideal start at Ascot early this month and Thady is hoping she keeps building. “She seems to have come forward for the run and although it is a big jump up into listed company, we'd be hopeful,” he said. Also engaged in what could be a key prep for the Royal Ascot fillies' feature is Godolphin's Newmarket maiden winner Silver Lady (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a daughter of Lumiere (GB) (Shamardal), and James Wigan's Haydock scorer Stormy Sea (GB) (Territories {Ire}), a half-sister to Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}).

Next Stop Emily Dickinson

Last year's renewal of Leopardstown's G3 Saval Beg Levmoss S. saw the arrival front-and-centre of Ballydoyle's Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) on the stayers' scene with a 14-length success in the 14-furlong Gold Cup prep and Friday's edition sees the stable's more-than-able deputy Emily Dickinson (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Demonstrative when ending her 3-year-old campaign and beginning her current season with clear-cut wins in the division's key Irish races, the G3 Loughbrown S. and Listed Vintage Crop S., the daughter of Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) bids to win over Ryan Moore who dashes here from York after partnering another potential Gold Cup ride in Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

Modern Games Stars In Lockinge Field

Godolphin's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, GI Woodbine Mile and GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will face 12 rivals in Saturday's G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury. Charlie Appleby reported the 2022 Eclipse Champion Male Turf Horse, who was second in Keeneland's GI Maker's Mark Mile last month, to be raring to go for the mile feature for which he is drawn on the wing. “Hopefully, this will be the opportunity for Modern Games to win a Group 1 in the UK. The Maker's Mark Mile proved a strangely-run race from our perspective, but he came out of it well and heads to Newbury in great shape. We know that he is a crack miler and he goes here with the benefit of a run under his belt. Conditions at Newbury should suit, especially with the drying ground, and he is going to be a big player.”

John and Thady Gosden supply Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star and G1 Sun Chariot S. runner-up Laurel (GB) (Kingman {GB}), while fellow Newmarket raider My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) kickstarts his 4-year-old campaign having finished third in the G1 Champion S. at Ascot in October. He is drawn next to Modern Games in 12, while Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Jadoomi (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who finished third behind Bayside Boy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and Modern Games in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S., is drawn on the other extreme in one.

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