Big Orange squeezes home in epic Gold Cup
Bell’s brave stayer repels rival for new rider Doyle Atty Persse gives Frankel first royal win as a sire
The sun may have taken a more demure role behind clouds here yesterday, but the meeting was lit up by something large and bright when Michael Bell’s much-loved stayer Big Orange held on bravely to win the Gold Cup by a short-head in one of the great finishes of this, or any, Royal Ascot.
On the first two days, we saw that Lady Aurelia is all about speed, and Highland Reel all about courage. Well, the giant Big Orange is all about heart, which, as well as beating inside his chest, is worn upon his sleeve. The 2017 Gold Cup was, make no mistake, a proper race.
With James Doyle, a late substitute for the injured Frankie Dettori, instructed not to interfere with his long-striding mount, Big Orange took up the lead passing the grandstand for the first time and, through his relentless, rhythmic gallop, had seen off 12 of his 13 rivals by the time he got to that iconic building a second time, with a furlong to run.
Hunting him down was the 5-6 favourite and title holder Order Of St George, who had been brought with a sweeping run down the outside by Ryan Moore and who appeared to be catching him with every stride. “I was praying for the winning post,” said Bell.
It did, indeed, look like Moore had produced Order Of St George with perfect timing. But, as so often with horses beginning to get lonely out in front, if Big Orange did not see him, he certainly sensed his rival and, in the last 100 yards, he put his ears back determinedly and found just enough in his reserves to repel the gallant runner-up.
After 2½ miles, the horses were separated by no more than a few inches, having drawn a respectable six lengths clear of last year’s St Leger winner Harbour Law, belying his insulting starting price of 33-1, in third.
As a six-year-old who generally makes all the running, Big Orange was already one of the most popular horses – through longevity and racing style – but adding the Gold Cup to a brace of Goodwood Cups, two Princess of Wales’s Stakes and a near-miss in the Melbourne Cup will have sealed that particular deal for Bill Gredley’s homebred giant.
“He’s just an absolute superstar,” said Bell, enjoying his biggest winner since Sariska won the 2009 Oaks. “He gives his all and he’s got a heart as big as himself. I can’t praise his attitude enough; he wants to race and he’s a colossal racehorse. On fast ground, in the middle of summer, he’s a monster.
“We knew we’d probably have to do the donkey work but were happy to do that; you can’t check his stride pattern.
“You’ve got to let him use it. Quest For More went to try and make it but he just wasn’t going fast enough for Big Orange. I was very
happy throughout the race – I thought James was in total charge.”
Gredley, who owns Big Orange with his son, the former showjumper Tim, compared winning the race to the achievements of his great racemare User Friendly (Oaks, Irish Oaks, Yorkshire Oaks, St Leger). “This is alongside her victories, I suppose,” he said. “Let’s hope they keep coming.”
Last year, Doyle was left in the lurch to an extent when Saeed bin Suroor, for whom he was retained, refused to use him. However, no one else has ever doubted his ability and he was superb on Big Orange, having sat on him for the first time in a canter only the day before.
“He knows what speed he wants to go and you just sit there,” he said, deflecting any praise. “I had Frankie’s voice in my head so let him go to the front and the rest is history.”
Bell very nearly doubled up 40 minutes later when Ronald R finished second in the Britannia Stakes, but the winner, Bless Him, was always holding him.
Gold Cup day concluded with an Ascot landmark of sorts when Atty Persse became the first son of Frankel to win at the meeting at which his sire recorded his most imperious win, in the 2012 Queen Anne Stakes. Atty Persse, once ranked a Derby hope, was pretty impressive himself, although the King George V Stakes is only a handicap.
It was Godolophin’s second winner of the day – and fifth of the week – after Benbatl took the Hampton Court Stakes.
With Saudi king’s son Prince Faisal’s Coronet landing the Ribblesdale, Qatar having a brace of winners and Sheikh Mohammed five, we have pretty much had all the players from the Middle Eastern stand-off. All we need now is a Yemeni winner for the full set.