Hughie Morrison bagged a first Group 1 success since 2007 when Quickthorn produced a totally dominant front-running display to win this afternoon’s Goodwood Cup.
It wasn't the first time Tom Marquand had executed a fine front-running performance on the Hughie Morrison-trained gelding having landed last season's Lonsdale Cup at York from the reopposing Coltrane by a staggering 14 lengths.
The form of Quickthorn's recent Listed success on the Knavesmire took a boost when the runner-up, Israr, beat Adayar in the Group 2 Princess Of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket (July) on his next outing.
It was a smart piece of riding by Marquand, who at one stage found himself twenty lengths clear of his nearest pursuers, and the multiple Group 1-winning rider failed to let up on the pace as the pair continued to travel sweetly with a commanding advantage.
Those behind soon realised the runaway leader was not coming back to the rest of the field and although Oisin Murphy and Coltrane attempted to bridge the gap, it was all too late as the 16/1 chance Quickthorn strode clear for an unchallenged success.
Emily Dickinson, who finished six lengths behind the eventual winner, won the battle for second in a photo finish with Coltrane whilst Eldar Eldarov finished a further short head back in fourth.
Ascot Gold Cup scorer Courage Mon Ami (2/1 F) never looked like landing a blow and finished well beaten in sixth.
Speaking to ITV Racing, winning jockey Tom Marquand, who was landing his tenth Qatar Goodwood Festival winner, said: "He's a warrior in his own right. I've had a bit of fun on him before and today was about riding him to his maximum potential. He just loves bowling away and putting everyone else to the sword - it was an exceptional performance.
"There's no masterplan with him, it's plain and simple what he's going to do. Down at the gates Frankie [Dettori] looked across and laughed and said, 'Are you going to drop in?' because everybody knows what he's going to do, and they still can't stop him. It's a testament to how good he is.
"It's great for Lord and Lady Blyth [owners] because they have had a lot of fun with this, and other horses and they are very passionate owners and breeders, and you want them to find horses like this. It makes the game fun.
"I didn't look behind because there's no point. We know what this chap can do and if the gap had been closed at the two marker I was going to be in trouble so it was just a case of keeping him stepping forward.
"You would be doing other riders a disservice [if you criticised them]. 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. It's easy to say in hindsight, but I wouldn't be putting down other riders in behind; I would be giving this lad credit for going such a gallop."
It was a first Group 1 success for trainer Hughie Morrison since Sakhee's Secret landed the 2007 July Cup.
Morrison said: "It's fantastic for James and Pam; they've bred him and it's fantastic to see they kept him and owned him, they've been very patient with him, and we've got our rewards. I felt that York last year when he won by 14 lengths was no fluke, and he proved it today.
"Jason [Hart] did absolutely nothing wrong last time over a slightly shorter distance on the faster ground - he basically did the same thing. Tom got the seconds fantastically and gave him a breather at the top of the hill, but really, you have to say, what a horse.
"We don't have a huge number of horses - 50, 60 horses - and it's fantastic to train these homebreds, really, and to be able to bring them on so they reach their zenith at the right sort of age.
"We've had a Grade 1 and a Group 1 winner, and not many people have done that.
"I was quite excited going up the hill, because we saw what he did last year. I've always felt he needed a bit of juice in the ground. His autumn flops in the last couple of years - I think he's just gone over the top. You can see, he puts so much into it that he deserves to go over the top at some point.
When asked if he was going to have a crack at Constitution Hill, Morrison replied: "I don't think that would be fair on Constitution Hill…"
"He's a galloper. He's fantastic to train, because he goes past you every morning like a three-mile chaser. Every other horse has to do about three strides for his one.
"Tom got the fractions fantastically right, as he did at York [in 2022]. Jason [Hart] got it exactly right at York [in June] and I thank him for giving him such a fantastic ride last time. We all know how to ride him to his strengths - he's a galloper, pure and simple, and we're lucky to have him."
Quickthorn was cut from 20/1 to 6/1 for the Lonsdale Cup at York next month.
