Big Orange takes big prize of Gold Cup at Royal Ascot

The winner, ridden by James Doyle for trainer Michael Bell, held on for a memorable triumph after a gripping battle between the two in the final furlong.

Order Of St George, under Ryan Moore, kept on closing but they just failed to give trainer Aidan O’Brien an eighth win in the race.

Big Orange was trying the two and a half miles distance for the first time after back-to-back doubles in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes and the Goodwood Cup, but Doyle sent him on with more than a circuit to go.

The outcome of the race seemed inevitable at one point when Moore launched Order Of St George with a long run on the outside, but Big Orange dug in and held off the challenge of the favourite by just a short head, finishing six lengths clear of St Leger winner Harbour Law.
Doyle, standing in for the injured Frankie Dettori, made most of the running and said Dettori had given him plenty of advice.

“Unfortunately Frankie couldn’t have got the injury at a worse time,” said Doyle.

“Frankie’s a real star. He called me a couple of nights ago and I was probably on the phone for about 20 minutes getting instructions and him telling me all about the horse. He was spot on.”

Bell added: “It was an epic race. I can’t describe the feeling of pride I have in my horse.
“I was just begging for the line to come. The horse is a superstar – he’s a warrior.”

Elsewhere on the third day’s card at Royal Ascot, the Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore combination sounded a warning to their rivals by taking out the day’s opener, the Norfolk Stakes with Sioux Nation.

24 hours after winning the big race of Day 2, the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, the pair were in the winner’s enclosure early on as Moore, one of only four jockeys to stay over on the far side of the course, burst through on the colt to beat joint-favourite Santry, who won his race on the stands’ side.

The action appeared to be unfolding on the stands’ side, with Wesley Ward’s runner McErin showing the great speed associated with the trainer’s juveniles. Santry took over with a furlong left, but despite coming home first on his side, Jim Crowley was half a length adrift of Moore and Sioux Nation, with the width of the track separating the first two, with third place going to Cardsharp.

In the Hampton Court Stakes, Benbatl, under Oisin Murphy, fended off a fierce challenge by favourite Orderofthegarter to win by half a length and provide Godolphin with a fourth winner of the royal meeting.

The Ribblesdale Stakes was a far close encounter as the John Gosden-trained Coronet got the decision over Mori in a thrilling finish.
With Olivier Peslier at the helm, the winner claimed victory in the Group 2 encounter by a neck from the race favourite, with Hertford Dancer coming third a further length back.

In the penultimate race of the day, jockey Jamie Spencer rode Bless Him to victory in the Britannia Stakes.

The David Simcock-trained horse came in half a length ahead of Ronald R in second and Tricorn in third a further length and a half back.

There was a first Royal Ascot triumph for an offspring of the legendary racehorse Frankel in the final race of the day, the King George V Stakes.

Atty Persse, trained by Roger Charlton and ridden by Kieran Shoemark cruised home by three lengths ahead of First Nation in second and Bear Valley in third.

Day 4 of Royal Ascot tomorrow sees another six race card to look forward to, which is highlighted by the Coronation Stakes.

Swiss watchmaker Longines, which last year celebrated the ten-year anniversary of its partnership with Ascot, is the Official Timekeeper and Watch and Official Partner of Royal Ascot, with the brand having an enhanced on-course presence including a branded chronometer close to the winning post.