Big Orange Ripe For Goodwood

Trainer Michael Bell reports Big Orange (GB) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) in rude health ahead of the newly upgraded G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup next Tuesday Aug. 1. Bill & Tim Gredley's 6-year-old is seeking a third consecutive win in the £500,000 event and will arrive at the peak of his powers having conquered Order Of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Ascot Gold Cup in June. Big Orange will not have to contend with either the Royal Ascot runner up or indeed the third home next week, something that will see him go off a short priced favourite. Bell however says he doesn't feel any extra pressure as a result. “That increases the excitement rather than the pressure,” the trainer commented. “Personally, I think pressure is having an empty stable, not looking at a good horse. Every time I have had a good horse, I have really tried to enjoy them. Pressure is the wrong word, they increase expectation and maybe levels of concentration!”

With rain affecting many parts of Britain at the moment Bell is hoping conditions don't deteriorate ahead of Glorious Goodwood. “Big Orange has won on good to soft going as a thee-year-old. We used to think he wanted soft ground but the older he has got, because he has such a good action and long gait, he is very effective on fast ground and gets bogged down on soft ground. So he is a significantly better horse on faster going.” With only three races under his belt this year Big Orange should be fresh for the assignment despite the grueling finish to his last race when he did battle with the runner up for the last two furlongs of the two and half mile contest. “There has been a nice gap between the Gold Cup and the Qatar Goodwood Cup, while all his races this year have been spread out. He has not missed a day's training and everything has been well with him.”