Back
19 Aug 2015

Goodwood rivals do it all again in fascinating Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup

Big Orange will try to repeat his Goodwood Cup victory in York’s Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

The Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York on Friday will play host to a re-match of last month’s thrilling Qatar Goodwood Cup when the first three – Big Orange, Quest For More and Trip To Paris – were covered by less than half a length.

Big Orange had earlier landed the Princess of Wales’s Stakes and so bids to land his third Group 2 victory in the space of six weeks while Trip To Paris must again carry the 4lb penalty that he picked up for winning the Ascot Gold Cup, beating four of these rivals.

Clever Cookie would be a popular winner, as he is trained only 20 miles away from York by Peter Niven. Already a three-time winner at this venue, he stayed on into fifth over an inadequate mile and a half in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes last time and goes best when there is plenty of moisture in the ground.

Another member of the 11-runner field who will appreciate any rain is the dual Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak winner, Tac de Boistron. He chased home Clever Cookie in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes back in May and is now 7lb better off.

Big Orange’s trainer, Michael Bell, said: "He has has been in good form since his Goodwood win and physically looks in very good shape.”

“Although he only beat Quest For More and Trip To Paris by a neck at Goodwood he battled on very tenaciously and looked to hold the upper hand in the closing stages.”

“But there are plenty of others in the mix, especially Clever Cookie who looks very dangerous stepping back up in trip.”

The full list of runners (with jockeys) is as follows:

Trip To Paris (Graham Lee), Big Orange (Jamie Spencer), Clever Cookie (P J McDonald), Max Dynamite (Frankie Dettori), Mizzou (William Buick), Quest For More (George Baker), Simenon (Pat Smullen), Tac de Boistron (Martin Harley), Times Up (Phillip Makin), Vent de Force (Richard Kingscote) and Hidden Gold (James Doyle). (11)