Big Orange wins Goodwood Cup

Dubai - Quest For More and Trip To Paris provide an exciting three-way finish.

Big Orange followed his Prince of Wales' victory with another perfect performance to land the Goodwood Cup Group-2 in the hands of Jamie Spencer on the third day of the ongoing Glorious Good at the Goodwood racecourse on Thursday. It was an exciting three-way finish between 9-2 favourite Quest For More and the Gold Cup winner Trip To Paris.
The Gooodwood Cup is the middle jewel of the Stayers Triple Crown and it's preceded by the Gold Cup at Ascot and followed by the Doncaster Cup and held over a distance of 2800 metres on the third day of the five-day Glorious Goodwood meeting.
Godolphin who has won this race on three occasions with Kayf Tara (1999), Schiaparelli (2009) and Cavalryman in 2014 skipped race while the UAE horses were represented by Sheikhzayedroad in the silks of UAE owner Mohammed Jaber Abdulla and finished disappointingly sixth.
In the Meantime, three-time champion jockey Richard Hughes claimed his first winner onboard Gibeon on the opening race of the day in the Land Rover Stakes and will make his final appearance on Saturday and has six chances to end his career with a winner culminating with Fox Trotter in a seven-furlong Handicap.
In the Qatar Nassau Stakes, he rides Bright Approach for John Gosden, while in the Qatar Stewards' Cup he is aboard Ninjago.
Fox Trotter - trained by Brian Meehan, has top-weight of 9st 7lb for the 7f handicap, and will be having his first start since October. His sole career win came on debut as a juvenile.
Early in the evening, Frankie Dettori rode Shalaa to win the Gr-2 Qatar Exchange Stakes with the least possible effort after the John Gosden-trained two-year-old colt travelled confidently by less than three lengths to the run of the judge before being eased close home. Dettori said: "He's got lots of speed, a good head on him and he did quicken up there. I'm happy to take a lead but there isn't a two-year-old fast enough to lead him so I have to make my own way home.
"He's getting a lot better. He's in a good place now. He was a bit hot and a bit temperamental but he's enjoying it now and it makes a hell of a difference."
Trainer John Gosden added: "He had so much amazing speed. At home he will settle behind a horse but at the races he's off and he's 'catch me if you can'. I think the fact Frankie's travelling for so long is quite some achievement.
"He's a lovely horse and probably Prix Morny next. It's very clear that this year he goes Prix Morny, Middle Park Stakes and next year to Royal Ascot and the Commonwealth Cup."
Simple Verse, ridden by Harry Bentley, held up in touch in midfield and made a steady, headway to chase leaders over one furlong out before being ridden and went between rivals to lead in the final strides and win the Markel Insurance Fillies' Stakes Group-3, the fifth race on the Goodwood race-card.
hisham@khaleejtimes.com