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Mick Halford is likely to step the Godolphin-owned Portage back up to 10 furlongs for his next outing.

Halford will also look for "genuinely good ground" for the Royal Hunt Cup winner, who finished a solid second to Decorated Knight in the nine-furlong Meld Stakes at the Curragh on Thursday.

"It was probably not ideal that Portage had to make the running and the fast ground was a bit quick for him," Halford told www.godolphin.com.

"The winner swept past and Portage did not get the chance to battle back but, having said all that, he has run a good solid race and finished well ahead of the third.

"We are likely to step Portage back up to a mile and a quarter and look for genuinely good ground."