Big Orange pips favourite to book Melbourne Cup spot

Big Orange booked his ticket for the Melbourne Cup after edging a three-way photo finish for the Goodwood Cup, the feature race at Glorious Goodwood on Thursday.

Big Orange justified odds of 6-1 to land the Group Two stayers' event, touching off 9-2 favourite Quest For More by a neck with Trip To Paris, the winner of the Ascot Gold Cup last month, a short head away in third.

Victory earned the Jamie Spencer-ridden winner a 25-1 quote from bookmakers for the Melbourne Cup with the Australian showpiece confirmed as a target by trainer Michael Bell.

"Obviously Big Orange stays two miles, I'd say he ticks a lot of the (Melbourne Cup) boxes," Bell told Channel 4.

Jockeys at Goodwood all wore black armbands in tribute to Peter O'Sullevan, the legendary commentator, affectionately known as 'the voice of racing' who died at the age of 97 on Wednesday.

The Melbourne Cup is staged at Flemington Park racecourse on November 3.
Source: AFP