Big Orange ripe for Goodwood

Michael Bell reports Big Orange on course to defend his Qatar Goodwood Cup crown next month.

The Group Two prize on July 28 is worth £300,000 and has attracted a total of 38 entries, including the first six home from last year's renewal.

Runner-up Quest For More (Roger Charlton), Trip To Paris (Ed Dunlop), Pallasator (Sir Mark Prescott), Vive Ma Fille (Mark Johnston) and Sheikhzayedroad (David Simcock) are all in line to reopoose Bell's five-year-old.

Big Orange went on to run a fine race in fifth in the Melbourne Cup, and Bell has purposely aimed for Goodwood, opting to skip the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

The Newmarket trainer said: "We swerved going to the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot with him as the soft ground would not have been suitable for him there.

"All being well he will go next for a Listed race at Sandown Park on Eclipse day (Coral Marathon).

"We wouldn't run him in both the Princess of Wales's Stakes (at Newmarket) and the Goodwood Cup again this year. The only way I would really consider Newmarket was if he didn't go to Sandown for some reason.

"Big Orange has been in great form at home. It is just that the ground has not been suitable for him so far this season as he is a better horse on good ground. We will see how his summer campaign goes first, but it is possible that he could go to Australia again later this year."

The last horse to win back-to-back renewals of the Goodwood Cup was Double Trigger in 1997 and 1998.

Sheikhzayedroad ran an excellent race to be third in the Gold Cup, while Trip To Paris enjoyed his finest hour when winning the Gold Cup in 2015. Fourth in the Melbourne Cup, Trip To Paris has not run since the Japan Cup last year.

Aidan O'Brien has three possibles, headed by Queen's Vase winner Sword Fighter. Cole Porter and Housesofparliament are the others from Ireland's champion Flat trainer.

The remaining Irish-trained contenders are recent Queen Alexandra Stakes victor Commissioned (Gordon Elliott) and Wicklow Brave (Willie Mullins), who has been placed in Group/Grade One company both on the Flat and over hurdles.