Hughie Morrison, right© Photo Healy Racing
All roads lead back to the Melbourne Cup for Marmelo following his victory in France on Saturday.
Hughie Morrison’s stayer was not disgraced when ninth in the ‘race that stops a nation’ last November and connections are plotting a return.
Marmelo might just have one more run before heading to Australia, after showing his well-being by lifting the Group Two Prix Maurice de Nieuil at ParisLongchamp.
“He’s very good. He got home on Sunday and looked happy, king of his domain,” said the East Ilsley trainer.
“I don’t where next. There are lots of options. The end game has to be the Melbourne Cup, as he is half-owned by Australians.
“Having said that, it does make one slightly more tactical about what one runs him in. We’ve just run him in a Group Two without a penalty and he’s probably run to mark of last year, so the handicap mark should remain the same.
“We don’t want to increase his rating, really, so if we went for a Group One if there was one and went close we might scupper any hope in the Melbourne Cup.
“Ideally he’d run in another Group Two without a penalty.”
He added: “There are other options — the Kergorlay, or the the Grand Prix de Deauville over a mile and a half just chasing the euro. He’s won 225,000 euro in owners’ and breeders’ premiums in the last year.
“It makes you realise the attraction of it. That’s pretty impressive.”
