Sir Alex’s horse may get Royal runout

TRAINER Bryan Smart is hoping to provide Sir Alex Ferguson with a Royal Ascot runner in Excellently Poised.

The Sepoy colt made a winning debut at Musselburgh recently when beating Requinto Dawn, who had won a division of the Brocklesby at Doncaster.

Smart would like to get another run into him before travelling south but where that will be has yet to be decided for the youngster, who is part-owned by the former Manchester United manager.

“Obviously we’re thinking of Ascot at this stage,” said Smart.

“I trained his dam, Excelette, and she was very good.

“I’ll just have a look and see what is about for him.

“At the moment I’m very happy with him and he seems like a nice horse.”

MICHAEL Bell has indicated popular stayer Big Orange will run next in the Betway Yorkshire Cup on May 19.

The six-year-old, who won the Goodwood Cup for a second time last season, has come back from his Dubai foray in good form.

He attempted to make all the running under Frankie Dettori in the Dubai Gold Cup and battled on gamely to finish fourth, beaten two lengths by Vazirabad.

“He’s in great form, I thought he ran well in Dubai on ground softer than he likes,” said Bell.

“We’ll probably take our chance in the Yorkshire Cup at the Dante meeting and, hopefully, we’ll be successful.”