France, Ireland and Germany have all claimed victory in the Melbourne Cup in the past 12 years, but Australia’s greatest race has not, as yet, been won by a British stable. Two very plausible contenders emerged here on Thursday, however, as Big Orange edged out Quest For More and Trip To Paris by a neck and a short-head in the Goodwood Cup, prompting one bookmaker to offer just 5-1 about a British-trained winner at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November.
Perhaps it was born of euphoria as Australian wickets continued to fall in the third Test but both Big Orange and Trip To Paris, who was the best horse at the weights under his 4lb penalty for winning the Gold Cup at Ascot, are being aimed directly towards Melbourne after a race with a finish worthy of Saturday’s Stewards’ Cup. The handicapper will have a role to play before either horse can be considered a leading contender, but both showed the necessary class and courage to earn a place in the field and could yet go eyeball-to-eyeball once again in the Australian spring.
“It was thrilling to be involved in a race like that,” Michael Bell, the trainer of Big Orange, said after the four-year-old had stayed on strongly to follow up his win in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes over 12 furlongs at Newmarket this month. “All three horses deserve great credit, especially Trip To Paris with his penalty.
“Big Orange was officially the highest-rated horse in the race, so, if he stayed, he could win it, and Jamie [Spencer] gave him a masterful ride. Melbourne is very much the plan now that we know he stays the trip and he has got the boot to win a Group Two over a mile and a half and goes on any ground. He ticks a lot of the boxes.”
Ed Dunlop, trainer of Trip To Paris, felt that the course and his runner’s penalty had combined to frustrate his attempt to complete a hat-trick after his wins at Ascot and in the Chester Cup in May. “I just wonder whether he did hit the front and then wander a little bit, which can happen at Goodwood,” Dunlop said. “At Ascot he had the rail to run against.
“The owners are very keen to go to Melbourne. It will be interesting to see what weight Mr Bell’s horse gets as well, but it will be considered.”
Quest For More, the winner of the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle last time out, also emerged from a memorable race with great credit and is now the joint-favourite with several bookmakers for next month’s Ebor Handicap at York.
“When you’ve won two nice races in a row and almost £100,000 in prize money, everything else for the season is a bonus,” Roger Charlton, Quest For More’s trainer, said, “yet he’s picked up another £70,000 today and run his heart out.
“If he’s OK, maybe he will go for the Ebor. It is worth a lot of money and he is the favourite or thereabouts. I don’t think he’s a Melbourne Cup horse because he just lacks the speed you need for that race.”
Richard Hughes finally secured a winner at his final Glorious Goodwood after two frustrating afternoons, when Gibeon beat the 4-1 favourite Keble in the opening race, a 10-furlong handicap.
“One will do me,” said Hughes, who will retire after Saturday’s card. “I wasn’t very happy about my rides coming in so to get a winner, I’m delighted. Yesterday, I went to the furlong pole on the bridle and got beat, and that doesn’t often happen, and then there was another second, so I’m glad the winner came.
“It’s been normal enough this week but Saturday could be different. I had to write my [Racing Post] column today and that was a bit emotional. I’ve got good rides on Saturday, they’re my best [of the week].”
Harry Bentley rode his second winner at the meeting after taking the Group Three Lillie Langtry Stakes on Simple Verse, who could now line up for the St Leger at Doncaster in September.
“She’s got better with age and experience and really toughed it out when she won the Bibury Cup at Salisbury, which often throws up a good horse,” Ralph Beckett, Simple Verse’s trainer, said. “The Park Hill Stakes [at Doncaster] is the obvious one, but Mike Dillon [of Ladbrokes, the St Leger’s sponsor] has just collared me and said we should put her in. We’ve been placed in the Leger with two fillies, so we might think about it.”
James Doyle rode a winner for the third day running at this year’s Glorious Goodwood when Indescribable took the concluding sprint handicap. He is tied for the lead in the race to be the week’s leading jockey alongside Andrea Atzeni, who completed a double on Notary (5-4 fav) in the maiden and Jaadu (12-1) in the card’s nursery.
