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Big Orange is golden in Princess of Wales's Big Orange (Duke of Marmalade) was the unconsidered outsider of eight for Thursday's Princess of Wales's S. (Eng-G2) coming off a seventh in the May 30 listed Grand Cup at York and posted a personal best in brave fashion. Leading at a steady tempo from the bell, the four-year-old gelding was fair game as rivals loomed on all sides entering the final three furlongs, but refused to surrender. He stayed on resolutely under a drive to repel all challenges. "We went an even gallop, I stepped it up with five (furlongs) to go and he kept stretching and stretching," jockey Jamie Spencer explained. "(Trainer) Michael (Bell) was very happy with him beforehand and he knuckled down and did it well in the last furlong." The win was a first in the contest for local conditioner Michael Bell. "He was in great form and the cheek pieces helped him dropping back in trip," the horseman said. "It was a very good ride from a very good jockey and he got the fractions spot on." The homebred Big Orange, who garnered last year's listed Chester S. and listed Noel Murless S., was off the board in Ascot's British Champions Long Distance Cup (Eng-G2) last October and Ormonde S. (Eng-G3) at Chester on May 8. "Mr. (Bill) Gredley 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. He'd get a penalty in the Goodwood Cup (Eng-G1), so where he will go next I don't know. I'd love to go to Melbourne (for the Melbourne Cup [Aus-G1]) with him one day, but that's another conversation." Runner-up Second Step (Dalakhani), who lowered the standard of Telescope (Galileo) in the Jockey Club S. (Eng-G2) last out, will now step up to the top level, according to trainer Luca Cumani. "The three-pound penalty's made a difference, but he ran very well and it was still a very good performance," Cumani said. "It proved he's consistent and still progressing. He'll go for a Group 1 in Berlin (Deutschland Preis) on August 9 next." Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) was upwardly mobile while making his black-type bow in the July S. (Eng-G2) on Newmarket's Thursday program. Sharply into stride to race on the front end from the outset, he cruised to the outright lead approaching the final eighth and kept on strongly up the hill, despite drifting left under urging, to claim a personal best in snug fashion. Last of eight when green in his May 16 debut in a hot Newbury conditions event, Shalaa broke through going six panels at Newmarket's Rowley Mile two weeks later. "He traveled with a lot of ease through the race and it was just a matter of pressing the button," jockey Robert Havlin said. "When he stopped quickening he started idling so he had a lot left in the tank. "Before he ran this year, we thought he was a Coventry S. (Eng-G2) horse," the rider added. "He needed a couple of (race) days away from the yard to learn how to do everything right. He put it all together today and has done it well." Breaking the stranglehold of the Richard Hannon stable responsible for the last three winners, trainer John Gosden added to his sole prior success with Bertolini in 1998. "He's a horse that just needs to settle a bit and I'd love to see him relax a bit more," Gosden remarked. "Frankie (Dettori) rode him the other day and said he had to ride the horse that was third in the Coventry, Eltezam (Kodiac). Rab (Havlin) knows this horse well at home and they had confidence in each other, which is very important. "We did plan to have him as a Coventry horse, but he was still a little bit nervous. When we ran him first time at Newbury he got stage fright, so we brought him here and schooled him and gave him a stalls test which he passed. He's a talented horse and has always been our fastest two-year-old this year. "The plan now is to go for the (July 30) Richmond S. (Eng-G2) at Goodwood." Goodwood is also a possible destination for runner-up Steady Pace (Dark Angel), who may point to the July 28 Vintage S. (Eng-G2). "He ran very well and I'm pleased with that," trainer Saeed bin Suroor said. "We have the option of going up to seven furlongs with him, possibly at the Glorious Goodwood meeting, but he's a nice horse and should progress again next season." Mr Singh (High Chaparral) registered a career high under a canny Dettori ride in the Bahrain Trophy (Eng-G3) to give Gosden a second stakes win on the card. Leading after the initial strides, the sopohomore was committed when pressed passing the three-furlong marker and was pushed out once taking a decisive advantage into the final eighth to comfortably best Future Empire (New Approach). Mr Singh, who ran third at Kempton in his only juvenile start on December 10, opened his sophomore campaign with an April 18 Newbury maiden win before running fifth in the listed Cocked Hat S. at Goodwood on May 22. Lady Bamford's homebred bay lined up for this July festival opener coming off a runner-up finish in the June 19 King Edward VII S. (Eng-G2) at Royal Ascot. "He was the form horse in the race, it was a good performance and I was very pleased with that," Dettori stated. "He's a good stayer with a turn of foot and put the race to bed at the two (pole). He's all frame at the moment, but is improving all the time and getting stronger. We think he's a St Leger (Eng-G1) horse, he's up to that level and proved it today." While it was a seventh win in the contest for Dettori, it was a fifth renewal for Gosden. "He's a lovely horse, he's still growing and beginning to fill out," the trainer said. "He got into a muddle at Goodwood, but the winner [Storm The Stars] went on to be third in the Derby, and he ran a lovely race at Royal Ascot. He stays well and he changes gears. "We'll go straight to the St Leger with him and he'll love it at Doncaster," Gosden confirmed classic plans. "Masked Marvel (Montjeu) came here and did the same before winning the Leger (in 2011). It's the right route for this horse. I'm not saying he's a Masked Marvel, but he's a very nice horse. He's a horse about next year, really, so one run at Doncaster and then (we'll) put him away." Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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