Bell expects fully ripe Orange to run massive race in Australia

Big Orange will travel to the other side of the world with Michael Bell predicting the Emirates Melbourne Cup joint-favourite is poised to run "a massive race" as he seeks to give Britain a belated first success in the sport's most valuable handicap.

The decision of Racing Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter to give Big Orange a weight just 1lb more than he carried when an excellent fifth in 2015 was enough to convince Bell and owner Bill Gredley that the dual winner of both the Goodwood Cup and Princess of Wales's Stakes should return to Australia.

Also heading the same way is fellow market leader Wicklow Brave, who will attempt to improve on the second place earned by his Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Max Dynamite last year.