Hampshire trainer Ralph Beckett is targeting a tilt at the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot with his top-class filly Simple Verse.

The daughter of Duke Of Marmalade enjoyed a fantastic campaign in 2015, winning five races including a Classic success in the St Leger at Doncaster and a second Group One victory in Ascot's British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.

She found life tougher last season, but got back on the winning trail in the Park Hill Stakes before returning to Champions Day at Ascot to finish third in the Long Distance Cup.

Beckett, based at Kimpton Down near Andover, reports his five-year-old to have been slow to come to hand this year, but is confident she is capable of mixing it at the highest level again.

He said: "The idea was that she was going to go for the Dubai Gold Cup, but she just wasn't coming forward so we backed off her again.

"She is back cantering now. I have got a couple of options for where we can start. She would be ready in time for the Henry II at Sandown, or maybe the Aston Park at the Lockinge meeting at Newbury.

"She is a big, old matron now and is very easy to read nowadays. I'm happy with her.

"We will be looking to Champions Day again, but I hope to get her ready for the Gold Cup as well.

"She's shown a profound liking for Ascot and that will be the route I will be taking."

Another filly for whom Beckett has high hopes is Mountain Bell.

The four-year-old won a Listed prize at Chester last September before being narrowly beaten in a Group Three at Newbury.

"She is likely to show up at this stage in the John Porter at Newbury and then we will work up from that," he said.

"I will probably be going up in trip with her this year. The Yorkshire Cup could be a possibility as well, we will just have to see.

"We can probably improve again if things go our way. Mentally she is very straightforward."