QUEST For More – last seen in the Melbourne Cup – has been declared for the Listed weddingmates.co.uk Grand Cup at York tomorrow afternoon.

The Roger Charlton-trained, six-year-old ran a belter in the famous Australian race, finishing ninth of 24 on the way to being beaten by just four lengths.

Charlton, who trains at historic Beckhampton, has indicated that York’s mile and six-furlong Listed contest will be the ideal starting point for his charge, who also holds an entry for next month’s Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Jamie Spencer ride Quest For More for the first time on the Knavesmire and Charlton said: “We’re looking forward to getting him back on track.

"Our horses have been a bit slow to come to hand and he is unsuited to soft ground, so I guess his training was a little bit behind where it should have been and the York race has come at a perfect time. The flat track, like Newcastle and Doncaster, suits him well with fast ground, if possible.

“He seems in good form, but I would expect him to just come on a bit for his first race, although he ran very well first time out last year when he was beaten by a head at Newmarket. The plan is to run in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot if everything is OK after York.”

Quest For More was a major improver last season, going from an official rating of 90 to his current mark of 109.

He won the John Smith’s Northumberland Plate, finished a neck second to Big Orange in the Group 2 Goodwood Cup and then signed off for the season ‘down under’.

Charlton said: “This time last year, we viewed him as a horse that was fairly high in the handicap and who, like most handicappers, every now and again hopefully was going to win his race, but he excelled and was so close in the Goodwood Cup.”

The trainer added that a return trip to Melbourne for Quest For More is possible in 2016.

Reflecting on the horse's Australian performance, Charlton admitted: “I was very pleased with him. He had a fairly outside draw and got himself into a good position.

"They perhaps, from his point of view, went too slowly and then they sprinted up the straight. He got swamped a little bit – a bit short of room – and he was running on at the end and was only beaten four lengths, so it was a good trip.”

The £50,000 Titanbet.co.uk Spring Sprint is sure to be a fiercely competitive contest with 16 declared thoroughbreds chasing the richest prize of a day with nearly £170,000 on offer.

There are four course and distance winners for the five-furlong race, including Bogart who will be making his 19th appearance at York.

The seven-race card starts at 2.05pm with the seven-furlong Titanbet.co.uk Handicap in which another Knavemsire regular – Hoof It – will line up.

For tickets, please call 01904 620911, extension 225, or visit www.yorkracecourse.co.uk