HUGHIE Morrison is eyeing up some big targets for Telecaster after his stable star produced a commanding performance to land the Group 2 Lucien Barriere Grand Prix de Deauville.
Relishing the heavy ground in Normandy, the four-year-old made all the running in the hands of Christophe Soumillon to power home by six and a half lengths from Soft Light.
Morrison nominated Group 1 races in Germany above a possible return trip to France for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for the colt’s next outing.
The master of Summerdown Stables at East Ilsley said: “He won it easily, enjoyed himself, settled, was very relaxed, and coped with the ground – although I think he could do with it better.
“He proved he’s a very competitive top Group mile-and-a-half horse.
“We entered in the Arc months ago, and I think we’re still in, but I think we’re more tempted to go off to Germany or somewhere like that for one of their Group 1s in the autumn.”
The triumph completed a cross-Channel double for Morrison after Urban Beat provided an emotional success at Goodwood three weeks after the death of co-owner and breeder Tim Billington.
Following the five-year-old mare’s pillar-to-post four-length triumph in a mile-and-a-half fillies’ handicap under Oisin Murphy, Morrison said: “What is rather poignant is that this was the race we decided to go for about a month ago.”
He also helped Hollie Doyle become the first female jockey to ride a five-timer at a meeting in Britain with Le Don De Vie’s success in the Listed Gallagher Group August Stakes at Windsor providing the middle leg of her 899-1 winning spree.
West Ilsley trainer Mick Channon had set Doyle on the way with Indian Creak kicking off her history-making day by taking a six-furlong handicap.
Over the jumps, Jamacho completed a hat-trick of wins for Chipping Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon with a clear-cut success in a two-mile handicap hurdle at Southwell with Brian Hughes on board.
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