TRAINER Michael Bell is hoping it will be third time lucky for stable stalwart Big Orange at York next month.

The globetrotting six-year-old is among 38 horses to remain in contention for the Betway Yorkshire Cup, the feature race of Friday, May 19, at the first forfeit stage.

He will be looking to add a further Group 2 triumph to his previous success at this elevated level, having recorded back-to-back victories in the last two renewals of the Goodwood Cup.

However, to date, York has not been a happy hunting-ground for Big Orange, who has disappointed on his two previous course appearances.

He was seventh in the weddingmates.co.uk Grand Cup – a Listed contest – and had only one behind him in the 2015 running of the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup.

Bell believes Big Orange can be excused for not delivering his best form on the Knavesmire - yet.

He said: “He has run twice there. The first time we changed the tactics and tried to drop him in but that backfired.

"Then he also ran again in the Lonsdale but that was on the back of a hard race in the Princess of Wales’s (at Newmarket) and a hard race at Goodwood.

"There’s no logical reason why he shouldn’t be effective at York, so we want to go there all guns blazing.

“We feel the Yorkshire Cup fits in nicely – timing-wise – with possibly running in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Provided there are no extremes of ground – and that he’s healthy and well – I am sure he will be there.”

Big Orange's last run in England was on the Sussex Downs nine months ago. Since then he has been campaigned in Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai.

Most recently, he contested the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan in late March, coming a very creditable fourth.

Bell said: “Bearing in mind 48 hours before the race he had a temperature of 104, I think it was a very, very good run. He had a heat wobble. Although on race day he was fine, that is not the ideal preparation.

“He couldn’t canter the day before the race. Not that you can get a horse fit in a day but it can’t have been a positive – it must have been detrimental. And he ran, I wouldn’t say a career-best, but he wasn’t far off his best-ever form.”

Newmarket-based Bell reports his charge to be in “very good form” at home.

Bell added: “He is a great character – a huge presence in the yard, physically as much as anything else. The longer horses stay around in Flat racing yards, the more attached you get to them. He has taken us all round the world, not once but twice, so he’s a great friend.”

The £165,000 Betway Yorkshire Cup is a Group 2 race, staged over a mile-and-three-quarters and is part of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

York’s season-opening Dante Festival runs from Wednesday, May 17 to Friday 19.