Big Orange squeezes home in Goodwood Cup

Big Orange stuck his neck out in gallant fashion to win a thrilling renewal of the Goodwood Cup at Glorious Goodwood.

Michael Bell‘s four-year-old was a 25/1 winner of the Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month, but he proved that was no one-off when battling on gamely to deny Quest For More and Trip To Paris.

The son of Duke Of Marmalade also allayed any stamina concerns after stepping back up in trip to two miles after scoring over one-and-a-half miles at Newmarket.

Jamie Spencer was quickly out of the stalls on Big Orange as he initially adopted the front-running tactics which served him so well last time, but he was then content to allow Viva Ma Fille to dictate matters.

Northumberland Plate winner Quest For More was always handy under George Baker, while Ascot Gold Cup winner Trip To Paris raced in mid-division.

Vive Ma Fille kicked for home three furlongs out, but the three-year-old filly, who was receiving a stack of weight, was quickly challenged by Big Orange and Quest For More.

The latter appeared to have been travelling the better, but was soon engaged in a fight with Big Orange as Trip To Paris took time to find his stride dropping down half-a-mile in distance from his Royal Ascot triumph.

It was a three-way tussle inside the final furlong, but Big Orange in the middle of the trio showed tremendous guts to win by a neck from Quest For More, with Trip To Paris just a short-head back in third.

Trip To Paris, carrying a penalty for his Ascot Gold Cup win, deserves great credit for his effort as the front three were almost three lengths ahead of the fourth Pallasator, while Vive Ma Fille was fifth and Sheikhzayedroad stayed on from the rear for sixth.