Bell aims for Cup hat-trick with 'legend' Big Orange

Michael Bell is looking forward to training Big Orange for at least another couple of seasons as he prepares him to try to win the Qatar Goodwood Cup, now a Group 1, for a record-equalling third time next week.

The Ascot Gold Cup winner – a best-priced even-money for the Sussex showdown – is a six-year-old, but Bill Gredley's strapping performer has not many miles on the clock and approaches just his 25th start in five seasons.

And Bell will be keeping the mileage down even more this winter, as he has scrapped plans for a third crack at the Melbourne Cup, in which Big Orange fared best when fifth in 2015.

Big Orange, who will be bidding for parity with Double Trigger as a triple winner of the Goodwood feature – now the first-day highlight on Tuesday – was the centre of attention at a press event at Bell's Fitzroy House stables in Newmarket on Monday.

He is no stranger to plenty of outside attention, however, as he is a big draw at the Newmarket Open Weekend, staged annually in September.

Bell said: "We weren't even going to open the doors for the open day last year, but I'm glad we did as Big Orange was the star of the show – and that was before he won the Ascot Gold Cup. I would imagine it may be first come first served this year !"

After missing out at Royal Ascot, Frankie Dettori will take over from the victorious James Doyle on the Sussex Downs, but the only change Bell is concerned about is the one in the weather. Big Orange had his preferred fast ground at Ascot but it could be a different story next week.

Bell commented: "It's no use beating ourselves up about it now, but ideally he likes quick ground these days, although he's won on good to soft in the past.

"It can be a micro-climate at Goodwood, where it can be raining at one end of the track and not in the other, so we'll see what occurs. He should be okay unless it's very testing, which it rarely is."

Although his scales at the yard are out of action, Bell thinks his charge is at a similar weight as he was before Royal Ascot and is not feeling the pressure of having the short-priced favourite after old rival Order Of St George ducked out.

He said: "There's no pressure. Pressure is an empty stable – that's how I look at it. Big Orange is a legend here now and these stayers only hit their prime when they are six or seven. Hopefully he's around for a while yet."

In the absence of Order Of St George the William Haggas-trained dual Listed winner and Hardwicke Stakes sixth Dal Harraild – winner of a Goodwood handicap over a mile and a half last June – is clear second favourite at 10-1. Higher Power, Sheikhzayedroad, US Army Ranger, Simple Verse and Stradivarius come next, grouped at a best-priced 16-1.

Qatar Goodwood Cup, card, form and betting

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