'The starter shouldn't have started it' - Quickthorn wins in dramatic fashion

Royal Ascot winner and Ebor runner-up Quickthorn made a dramatic return to action on Friday when the Hughie Morrison-trained four-year-old somehow battled to success in the feature Persian Punch Conditions Stakes, despite forfeiting nearly 20 lengths at the start.

Ridden by Cieren Fallon for the first time, the Duke of Edinburgh winner was sent off 7-4 on his first start since finishing a valiant head second to Sonnyboyliston in Europe's richest Flat handicap last month.

Last year's St Leger runner-up Berkshire Rocco was sent off the 4-6 favourite to make a winning return to the track after a 202-day layoff.

Fallon would therefore have been fearing the worst after his mount jinked markedly to his right, back towards the chute entrance to the parade ring from which the four runners had just come as the starter released the tape.

6.15 Salisbury: watch Quickthorn win from the back here

With the starter satisfied with this unusual beginning, Fallon had little option but to ease Quickthorn slowly into the race a long way behind his rivals. However, the pace was not a strong one and the pair were able to slowly gain ground without exerting too much energy.

Coming round the final bend, Fallon stalked his rivals before pressing the button in the straight at the five-furlong marker.

Quickthorn responded impressively, surging past the Jason Watson-ridden Berkshire Rocco to score by two lengths in a remarkable success.

How the race unfolded

Quickthorn (right) jinks right as the runners get under way in the feature race

The field set off with Quickthorn and Cieren Fallon still yet to make a start having jinked

Quickthorn (blue) returns to the track proper with his opposition already a long way ahead

The view in front of Cieren Fallon aboard Quickthorn, the recent Ebor runner-up

Fallon gives Quickthorn plenty of time to find his rhythm in a slowly run affair

Quickthorn latches on to the back of the field as the runners swing towards home

Quickthorn begins to bear down on the field, including the odds-on Berkshire Rocco

Quickthorn begins to lengthen nicely under Fallon, making ground on his three rivals

Quickthorn surges past big rival Berkshire Rocco, who has no answer close home

Quickthorn flashes home in front to register a quite remarkable win in the feature

Fallon, speaking to Racing TV, was unhappy that a false start was not called. He said: "The starter shouldn't have started it. As we were walking past [the parade ring] my horse has decided to come home and they've all cantered off. I shouted as we were still 20 or 30 metres away from the tape.

"I was very lucky I got him into a rhythm. If they went a nice enough gallop at the start I probably would've been in trouble, but because they were going nice and steady it enabled me to attach on to the back of the field.

"I sat on the tail of George's [Wood] until we've got round the bend. As soon as we straightened up I switched and just followed Jason [Watson], which was the horse to beat. As soon as I was watching him I knew I had him covered. It was only a matter of time before I wanted to put the race to bed."

Fallon was full of praise for the Morrison-trained gelding, mentioning the Doncaster Cup (won by Stradivarius on Friday) and the Melbourne Cup as potential long-term targets.

He added: "What a tough animal. To give up that many lengths and go and do what he did against Andrew Balding's horse is very impressive. He's a very exciting horse."

Results, replays and analysis

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