Big Orange
The unusual-looking ‘gentle giant’ of a Flat horse, who goes like a rocket on fast ground at the height of summer
“HE has the sheer will to win,” says trainer Michael Bell, reflecting on his stable star Big Orange’s Royal Ascot victory.
“His attitude and whole physical presence shows that. When he was beaten at York two years ago his demeanour was not his usual one, he knew he’d lost. You could tell he was up for it on the day at Ascot.”
Big Orange’s Gold Cup win at Royal Ascot under James Doyle was an extremely popular one. The race had been the plan for the six-year-old gelding, owned by Bill Gredley and his son Tim, a former showjumper, for a while.
“We wanted to make sure he was fresh and well ahead of the race,” says Michael. “We don’t overwork him, and he never really gets tested at home; we want to make him feel like a champ. He powers up the gallops and is almost as fresh after as he is before. The height of the summer is the best time for him; he loves fast ground.”
Big Orange, thus named as he is a son of Duke Of Marmalade, is popular around the yard, too.
“Big Orange used to be a bad box walker,” says Michael. “He used to fly around the stable, but he’s gradually become more relaxed and we’ve managed to get it more under control. That’s his only quirk really.
“He’s easy to train and very
enthusiastic on the gallops. He’ll have a look around at things and have a squeal and a buck and try to get rid of his rider, but he’s a lovely character really.”
Michael describes the horse as a “gentle giant”.
“He’s very good with my daughter, who’s three-and-a-half. She’ll feed him hay over the stable door; he’s a very kind horse.”
Standing at 17hh and weighing 560 kilos, Big Orange is a giant.
“He’s very unusual-looking,” says Michael. “I trained his mother, who was small and uncomplicated. He’s not an oil painting but he’s an absolute rocket.
“For a Flat horse he has an unusual shape — he’s very long and only just fits in the stalls.
He’s very slim so far though, and has amazing lung capacity — he doesn’t need a lot of work.
“He’s well balanced and a beautiful mover. His stride pattern is enormous, he’s wonderful to watch in full flow on the gallops.”
Big Orange now heads for the Goodwood Cup, a race he’s won twice before, and connections are hopeful for a hat-trick.