Marquand and Quickthorn built up a massive lead down the back straight and was able to maintain the gallop to win Group Two honours; in the following race, Noble Style ran down Marshman late to take the Gimcrack Stakes
Friday 19 August 2022 15:29, UK
An inspired Tom Marquand ride helped Quickthorn to a Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup romp at York, leading all the way to win by 14 lengths.
Quickthorn - trained by Hughie Morrison - made the running under Marquand, as he did when taking the Henry II Stakes at Sandown earlier this season and did the same in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil at ParisLongchamp last month.
And while his rivals on the Knavesmire allowed him to build up a huge lead down the back straight, it proved to be an unassailable one as the likes of Coltrane, who went off favourite after the withdrawals of Trueshan and Stradivarius, made no impression on the runaway winner.
In the end, Coltrane and Rob Hornby did hang on for second, ahead of outsider Reshoun, who was a good third under Jim Crowley for the Ian Williams team.
Speaking after the race, winning rider Marquand said: "I'm pretty blown away by him. Obviously I've ridden him the last few times and got a really good feel off him at Sandown and in France. When I pulled up in France, I felt like I had a couple of gears left, but ultimately on these stayers you might be kidding yourself a bit.
"I could have broken his stride, but what's the point? He's an exuberant stayer with a full tank under him and we went steady enough that he doesn't overcook it.
"I knew I'd stretched away down the back, at the two I gave him a flick as he was looking at the crowd, but I heard the commentary and looked at the big screen and was able to take a sit.
"You almost wish the big guns were here to see what might have happened. He also did it on ground that was probably quicker than ideal. I'm hugely excited for what the future might hold as he's only just getting going."
Morrison added: "We've got three options: the Prix Royal-Oak, the Prix du Cadran and the Long Distance Cup. He is in the Irish St Leger, but he's had a hard enough race there. "He's quick and a flat track helps him, Tom said he didn't enjoy going down the hill at Sandown.
"I'm a believer that with horses you think need soft ground you can get away with it on a level track and they do a great job with the ground here.
"I think he's still improving and I'm disappointed the other two didn't turn up. He's improved a stone this year. We'll never know if he'd have beaten the other two today, but he'd have certainly given them a race."
Defending champion Stradivarius was ruled out of the race earlier in the morning due to a bruised foot, while Trueshan was taken out 20 minutes before the race due to the quick ground.
The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes went the way of Noble Style and William Buick, who remained unbeaten for the Charlie Appleby team after running down Thirsk novice winner Marshman in the final furlong.
Marshman looked to have matters in hand in the closing stages, taking a length out of the field under Clifford Lee with all in behind under pressure.
But it was Noble Style - who could well head for the National Stakes at The Curragh over seven furlongs - who had enough in the tank to reel in the Karl Burke-trained Marshman, winning by a length at the line, with Cold Case back in third for the same yard.
Winning trainer Appleby said after the race: "After his Ascot win all roads were leaning towards Royal Ascot, but two weeks out we just weren't happy with him. There was no issue there, but he just wasn't the same horse as he was prior to his maiden success.
"I'm very lucky to be able to make the call and give this horse the time that was needed, then we took him to Newmarket and he won there, after which some people might have thought he'd regressed.
"We were very happy with how the horse came out of it - physically you could see how much improvement was there - and he galloped earlier in the week and looked as good as we've ever seen him.
"We came in here with confidence, but there was plenty of strength in depth in the race today, he had to go and do it and he did it well. The nice thing about him is he goes through the line well.
"He will step up to seven furlongs at some stage, but as we all know the next couple of weeks is an important time for the two-year-olds. They start to sort themselves out and find their feet and there's important races coming up soon.
"I suppose the National Stakes can be put into the melting pot, but there's a couple more horses to come out and whether this horse might be able to do it again over six in the Middle Park and we step up at a later stage, or whether we step up to seven on his next start - it's a healthy discussion to have.
"I see no reason why he won't stay a mile (in the Guineas). He's got a pedigree that suggests that he'll get it for sure and he does it all very nicely."
In the opener, Farhan sprung a 20/1 shock with victory in the Sky Bet Handicap under the in-form Neil Callan for the John Butler team.
Callan - who had one winner from as many rides at Royal Ascot earlier this season - sat in behind the pace Silvestre De Sousa and Party Island until midway up the straight, picking up really well and hitting the front two furlongs out.
Pursuers in the final furlong included Thundering and favourite Mahrajaan, but neither could reel in the eventual winner, who could head for the Old Rowley Cup or November Handicap next, both races he ran well in last year.
