Torcedor bids to step up in Dubai Gold Cup Torcedor is the sole Irish challenger in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan on Saturday. Jessica Harrington's stayer was runner-up in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh and the Long Distance Cup at Ascot last season. Harrington said: "He's come a long way in a year. I inherited him from David Wachman and a year ago he was running in a conditions race at Leopardstown, which he won, and we sort of got on a roll from there. "It looks a very good race on Saturday. I was half-thinking we could come out here and miss a few horses, but I think everyone bar Order Of St George has turned up. "He has progressed and physically he's progressed as well. This year he's become much more a man of a horse." Michael Bell is confident Big Orange is back firing on all cylinders ahead of his bid for glory. The popular stayer was beaten two lengths into fourth place in the two-mile Group Two a year ago, before going on to beat Order Of St George in a thrilling Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Connections suffered a last-minute scare earlier this week when Big Orange was found to be setfast after working on Monday morning, a muscle problem similar to cramp in humans. However, Bell was much happier with his charge after he cantered on Wednesday and worked on Thursday, and it is all systems go. Bell said: "Hopefully that (setfast problem) is in the past. I was really happy with him on Thursday and, more importantly, Gill (Dolman), who has been riding him for a few years, was delighted. "He seems in really good form and looks great. He has a great skin on him and I'm very happy with his well-being." Big Orange will need to be on his game if he is to deny Alain de Royer-Dupre's French challenger Vazirabad a third consecutive victory. Just as he did last season, the six-year-old warmed up for his big-race assignment by finishing second in the Nad Al Sheba Trophy over a mile and three-quarters a month ago. "I think his run in the prep race this year was much better than last year," said Royer-Dupre. "Last year he was the runner-up after a mediocre performance, but this year he and the winner (Rare Rhythm) produced a fantastic run up the final straight. They left the others seven or eight lengths behind. "The longer trip should help us a bit. What is a bigger concern to me is the big field. We could easily run into traffic problems. "However, we are really happy with Vazirabad and, for the time being, are not worried."
