Simenon has put himself in the picture for the Melbourne Cup with his two extreme distance victories at Royal Ascot.

Trainer Willie Mullins said the Goodwood Cup could be his next race, with a trip to Australia among the options.

"The Melbourne Cup is at the back of our minds," Mullins said. "I think we have a high enough rating now but we'd have to qualify by either winning a Listed race or being placed in a Group race I believe, although I'd have to check the conditions. I think we're aiming towards the Goodwood Cup at this stage."

The five-year-old Marju gelding gave the Irish champion national hunt trainer his first Royal Ascot victory when he claimed Tuesday's two-and-a-half-mile (4000m) Ascot Stakes and was even more impressive four days later in the Queen Alexandra Stakes (4300m).

"He was very impressive and he seems a nice stayer," Mullins told At The Races. "He was dropped by the handicapper, so he is just going back up to where he was. I'd say with his age and maturity he's just getting a bit stronger I think.”