Bill Gredley's Big Orange (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) is set for a return trip to Australia for the Nov. 1 G1 Emirates Melbourne Cup, the race in which he finished fifth last year, trainer Michael Bell told the Daily Mail. The 5-year-old gelding has been on the board in all four starts this year. After finishing second to Vazirabad (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup in March, Big Orange was third behind fellow Cup-bound expatriate Exosphere (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) in the G2 Jockey Club S. Apr. 30. He has since won the G2 Princess of Wales's S. and G2 Qatar Goodwood Cup.
Big Orange was assigned a weight of 56kg for the Melbourne Cup. “The performances Big Orange has produced on the track and his physical development from four to five years old suggests he has improved by more than a pound,” Bell told the Daily Mail. “I have spoken to Mr. Gredley and he is keen to go.”
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