Quest For More unlikely for Melbourne
Another trip to Australia for the Melbourne Cup appears unlikely for Quest For More despite his all-the-way win in the Lonsdale Cup at York.
The Roger Charlton-trained six-year-old dictated the race and pulled away to beat Pallasator by 3-1/2 lengths with Wicklow Brave third and Trip To Paris fourth.
Quest For More finished ninth in the 2015 Melbourne Cup, less than four lengths from the winner Prince Of Penzance, but Charlton said he would prefer to keep him closer to home.
Appearing to rule out a tilt at this year’s Melbourne showpiece, Charlton added: “I like to see the horses and be with them a lot and that’s very difficult when they’re on the other side of the world.
“He’s a fragile horse and needs looking after and I think I’d rather look after him here in England,” Charlton said.
“The ground dictates where he goes. Maybe the stayers’ race in Dubai might be nice for him.
“He’s not a hard horse to train so we just keep him fit and run him when he has his ground.
“All credit to the team at home, it’s not the easiest thing to do to get them back from Melbourne.”
Caulfield Cup runner-up Trip To Paris was having his second start back from an injury suffered in the Japan Cup after his fourth in the Melbourne Cup.
“I’d say it was a satisfactory run, without being startling,” trainer Ed Dunlop said.
“He’s getting back to where he was. He needs racing and I only wish there were more races like this.
“As for plans, we’ll get him back home and think about it.”