Yorkshire Jockeys Horse Racing

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TRAINER Michael Bell is hoping it will be third time lucky for stable stalwart Big Orange who is among 38 horses to remain in contention for the feature race of Friday 19 May, the Betway Yorkshire Cup, at today’s first forfeit stage.

The globetrotting six-year-old will be hoping to add a further Group 2 triumph to his previous success at this elevated level, having recorded back-to-back victories in the last two renewals of the Goodwood Cup.

But, to date, York has not been a happy hunting-ground for Big Orange, who has disappointed on his two previous course appearances.

He was seventh in the weddingmates.co.uk Grand Cup – a Listed contest – and had only one behind him in the 2015 running of the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup.

However, Bell believes Big Orange can be excused for not delivering his best form on the Knavesmire…yet.

He said: “He has run twice there. The first time we changed the tactics and tried to drop him in but that backfired. Then he also ran again in the Lonsdale but that was on the back of a hard race in the Princess of Wales’s (at Newmarket) and a hard race at Goodwood. There’s no logical reason why he shouldn’t be effective at York, so we want to go there all guns blazing.

“We feel that the Yorkshire Cup fits in nicely – timing-wise – with possibly running in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Provided there are no extremes of ground – and that he’s healthy and well – I am sure he will be there.”

His last run in England was on the Sussex Downs nine months ago. Since then he has been campaigned in Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai.

Most recently, he contested the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup (sponsored by Al Tayer Motors) in which he was a very creditable fourth. That performance at Meydan in late March is all the more impressive, given the back-story.

Bell explained: “Bearing in mind 48 hours before the race he had a temperature of 104, I think it was a very, very good run. He had a heat wobble. Although on race day he was fine, that is not the ideal preparation.

“He couldn’t canter the day before the race. Not that you can get a horse fit in a day but it can’t have been a positive – it must have been detrimental. And he ran, I wouldn’t say a career-best, but he wasn’t far off his best ever form.”

Almost a month later and Bell reports his charge to be in “very good form” at home. And, unsurprisingly, Big Orange is a very popular figure around the stables at Fitzroy House in Newmarket.

Bell added: “He is a great character – a huge presence in the yard, physically as much as anything else. The longer horses stay around in Flat racing yards, the more attached you get to them. He has taken us all round the world, not once but twice, so he’s a great friend.”

The £165,000 Betway Yorkshire Cup is a Group 2 race, staged over a mile-and-three-quarters of the Knavesmire and is part of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

York’s season-opening Dante Festival runs from Wednesday 17 May to Friday 19 19 inclusive.

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