Quickthorn storms to victory in the Group 1 Goodwood Cup

Tom Marquand executed a perfect front-running ride aboard Quickthorn to win the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup. Trained by Hughie Morrison, Marquand had adopted very similar tactics last season in the Lonsdale Cup at York when beating the reopposing Coltrane by 14 lengths.

Marquand stole a few lengths early and then once again on the brow of the hill, when the field might expect to start making ground, but the jockey ensured there was no let up in the pace.

At one stage he was around 20 lengths clear but Oisin Murphy on Coltrane, who was leading the pack, seemed content in where he was with half a mile to go. The riders of Eldar Eldarov, Giavellotto, Emily Dickinson and Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami all suddenly realised Quickthorn was not stopping!

“I was quite excited going up the hill, we saw what he did last year” said Morrison.  I’ve always felt he needed a bit of juice in the ground, he’s just a galloper, he’s fantastic to train.

“We’ll enjoy this a lot. Tom got the fractions fantastically right, as he did at York. We all know how to ride him to his strengths, he’s a galloper, pure and simple, and we’re very lucky to have him.”