Orange and the General chase Group One glory
Matt Markham - Raceform • May 8th, 2025 2:30 PM • 4 min read
A perfect barrier draw offers an ideal opportunity for Blair Orange to end a 13-year drought at Alexandra Park on Friday night with smart filly General Jen.
The pair will combine in the Magness Benrow NZ Sires Stakes 3YO Fillies Final – a race Orange isn’t unfamiliar with, but one he hasn’t tasted success in for quite some time.
You need to go back to Dancing Diamonds in 2012 to find the last time New Zealand’s leading driver won the rich race, and a further two years back from that to find his first winner, Lancome.
But there’s an air of confidence around Orange this week about his charge, trained by Hayden and Amanda Cullen, who are starting to make a bit of a name for themselves when it comes to Group One success this season.
“She’s really developed into the all-round racehorse this season,” Orange told RaceForm. “She can get out of the gate, doesn’t mind doing a bit of work, but can be potent when coming with a sit, so she’s got a bit of everything and is really becoming a professional racehorse.”
Orange admitted to having a smile on his face when he saw the barrier draws released for the Group One feature, with barrier two looking ideal for the pair – especially with likely favourite and free-running filly Beside Me drawn next to them.
“It’s a perfect draw. You’re not committed to anything, but you’ve got options. On paper it looks ideal, because we should be able to get across the horse inside us and hopefully find the right trip from there.”
General Jen turned heads last week when she stepped out at Alexandra Park for the first time and was dominant winner down in grade. With the benefit of that run under her belt, she looks an even better prospect this week.
“She impressed me a lot, a really good effort for a first look up there, but I wasn’t surprised.”
She’s one of three chances the Cullen barn has for the race, with Arafura and Winelight also stepping out.
Orange also looks to have a prime opportunity for further success earlier on in the night on Friday with two-year-old trotter Redpark Warrior in the Young Guns final, worth $50,000.
“I really liked the feeling he gave me last week, he’s a real professional two-year-old and a very nice one at that. I think he’d be suited even more if they trot a bit quicker too, which they generally do in big races, so he should have a good chance.”
Redpark Warrior is trained by Mark Jones and has won both of his starts at Alexandra Park in the past month.
