Orange Bids For Cup Three-Peat

Upgraded to Group 1 status for the first time this year, Tuesday's G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup sees thirteen contenders looking to prevent Royal Ascot's G1 Gold Cup hero Big Orange (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) from registering a record-equalling third triumph in Glorious Goodwood's opening day feature. Bill and Tim Gredley's 6-year-old has won six of his last eight starts on home soil, including the two latest editions of this marathon, and trainer Michael Bell is hopeful the absence of Gold Cup runner-up Order of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will benefit the gelded bay's attempt to emulate 1995, 1997 and 1998 hero Double Trigger (Ire) (Ela-Mana-Mou {Ire}) with a hat-trick of his own. Frankie Dettori, who was aboard for the win in Sandown's May 25 G3 Henry II S., is back in the plate after missing Royal Ascot with a shoulder injury. “Winning the Gold Cup was hugely satisfying, it's the feature of Royal Ascot and to win it after such an epic battle with Order of St George was deeply rewarding,” said Bell. “The horse doesn't know who he's running against and Order of St George not running obviously makes his task easier as we only just beat him at Ascot. From a personal point of view, I was really looking forward to taking him on again as it would have been a great horse race. Frankie is a showman who lives for the big occasion, he missed out big time at Royal Ascot and he'll want to be doing his flying dismount.”

While the usual suspects are in attendance, Bjorn Nielsen's homebred G2 Queen's Vase hero and G1 St Leger-bound Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) bids to become the first 3-year-old to prevail since Lucky Moon (GB) (Touching Wood) in 1990. “He's a horse looking towards the St Leger and he'll have no trouble with two miles around here,” said trainer John Gosden. “It's different to a Leger on a galloping track, as they twist and turn and go up and down [at Goodwood]. It's a great race.” US Army Ranger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has slipped down the Ballydoyle pecking order since running second in last year's G1 Epsom Derby and arrives here off a third in the Queen Alexandra S. at Royal Ascot, while Queen Alexandra winner Oriental Fox (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}) lines up of a fifth in the July 8 Listed Esher S. at Sandown. Godolphin's Qewy (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}) ran fourth in last year's G1 Melbourne Cup and occupied the same berth in the Queen Alexandra, and is set for another journey Down Under later in the campaign according to trainer Charlie Appleby. “I was pleased with his run at [Royal] Ascot and he's come out of it well,” he said. “He probably found two-miles-six a bit too far at Royal Ascot and dropping back in trip will suit him. Big Orange is exceptionally good on quicker surfaces and you can throw a blanket over the rest of us, so we will give it a go. The plan is go back to Australia with Qewy, so I've got to map his races, timing-wise, to get him down there fit and well.”

One contender who is fit and well is dual-purpose yardstick Wicklow Brave (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}), who ran fourth in this last year before annexing the Sept. 11 G1 Irish St Leger. He has since contested the G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, and arrives here off a win in the Apr. 28 G1 Punchestown Champion Hurdle, a fourth in the GIII Belmont Gold Cup Invitational and a second in the July 2 G2 Curragh Cup. “He's a wonderful horse to own, over hurdles and on the flat he's brilliant,” commented owner Nick Peacock. “We can only go there hopeful rather than confident against Big Orange, never mind the rest. Big Orange looks a mountain to climb. We have had quite a lot of rain down south, which might suit us more than Big Orange. There's so much money on offer in this race and, with a horse like ours, you'd be mad not to run.”