Jamie Spencer gets Big Orange to rally
Drakenstein stallion Duke Of Marmalade’s son Big Orange rallied to win the Gr2 Princess of Wales’s Arqana Racing Club Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday under a well-judged frontrunning ride from Jamie Spencer.
Jamie Spencer set the pace on the Michael Bell-trained four-year-old but looked as though he was going to be swamped at the business end.
However, once his stamina kicked in, Big Orange, a 25/1 chance, found more under pressure to claim Group Two honours by half a length.
Second Step – giving 3lb to the rest of the field – finished second, with Gospel Choir just a head further back.
Spencer said: “He did well. We went a nice even gallop, I stepped it up from the five and kept stretching and stretching.
“When Ryan (Moore, on Gospel Choir) came to me he didn’t get away from me. He only went a head or a neck up.
“We were in good shape then because I hadn’t gone for everything. In fairness, he knuckled down well in the final furlong.
“Michael was very happy with the horse. We were tilting at windmills a little bit looking at the form, but when a horse is telling the trainer he’s happy then you’ve got to take a chance and have a go and it worked out well.”
Bell said: “He was in great form. The cheekpieces just helped him dropping back in trip.
“It was a very good ride from a very good jockey. The modern word is ‘fractions’ and he got them spot on.
“It’s great. He’s just a star horse. Mr (Bill) Gredley (owner) bred him, he lives locally and we decided to run him at the July meeting as he loves to have runners here. It’s just a great result.
“This was a nice surprise. He’d get a penalty in the Goodwood Cup, so where he will go next I don’t know. I’d love to go to Melbourne with him one day, but that’s another conversation.”
Gredley said: “We always thought he’d have a chance over a mile and a half and he’s got a lot of stamina. He’s a big, gangly horse.
“I think we’ll keep him at that trip. Why change a winning team? We’ll just see what’s around.
“I think he lost the race at Chester (the Ormonde Stakes) in the first couple of furlongs as he had something take him on.”
Luca Cumani, trainer of runner-up Second Step, said: “He ran very well. The 3lb penalty’s made a difference, but it was still a very good performance.
“It proved he’s consistent and still progressing.
“He’ll go for a Group One in Germany in Berlin on August 9 next.”
The Duke in racing action
It has been a great few weeks for Duke Of Marmalade who was represented by his third major European classic winner in 2015 when his son Nutan won the Group 1 Deutsches Derby (German Derby) on Sunday 5 July.
Duke Of Marmalade’s previous classic winners this year include brilliant Group 1 French Oaks winner Star Of Seville (who is likely to run next in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood) and Italian Guineas winner Sound Of Freedom.
Danehill’s Cartier Champion son and five time Group 1 winner is currently fifth on the leading sires in Europe List, with Duke Of Marmalade’s runners placing their champion sire above such outstanding stallions as Danehill Dancer, Fastnet Rock, High Chaparral, and Sea The Stars.
www.sportinglife.com – additional reporting by SP editorial staff
