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| Staff Writer |
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Big Evs is set to bid farewell to the turf in a blaze of glory, with trainer Mick Appleby confirming the Breeders' Cup as the final destination for his stable star.
The son of Blue Point is looking to bounce back from a lacklustre showing in the Gr.1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York, where he finished eighth of 12 runners. It was a case of déjà vu for connections, as Big Evs had similarly underperformed in the same race as a juvenile last season.
Appleby, reflecting on the recent York run, said: "He's doing good, obviously we were disappointed and we think the draw had a lot to do with it. The ground was quite tacky there but it was mainly the draw, anything drawn on the far side didn't really seem to have much of a chance in the sprints."
Despite the Nunthorpe setbacks, Big Evs boasts an impressive race record. As a 2YO, he claimed victories in the Windsor Castle and Molecomb Stakes before rounding off his juvenile campaign with triumphs in the Flying Childers and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
This season, the colt has continued to shine, securing the Listed Westow Stakes at York and narrowly clinching the Group Two King George Stakes at Goodwood, where he turned the tables on Asfoora, who had bested him in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Big Evs will be looking to join an illustrious list of previous Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winners. Notable victors include Glass Slippers, who triumphed in 2020 and went on to finish second the following year, and Golden Pal, a dual winner of the race in 2021 and 2022.
Appleby is opting for a direct route to the Breeders' Cup, eschewing potential intermediate targets. "We'll freshen him up now and head straight to the Breeders' Cup, that'll be his last run," the trainer explained. "I think we'll just go there fresh, that's the plan with him, it'll be too soft for him in the Prix de l'Abbaye anyway, it normally is."
In an interesting parallel, Big Evs' stablemate Big Mojo is treading a similar path to his accomplished counterpart. Owned by the same combination of Paul and Rachel Teasdale, Big Mojo claimed the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood in July, echoing Big Evs' juvenile campaign.
After a creditable fourth in the Gimcrack Stakes at York over six furlongs, Big Mojo is now being aimed at the Flying Childers at Doncaster. Appleby commented on the York performance: "I thought he ran very well, I'm not sure whether he got the six or not or whether it was more the fact that when he hit the front, he was looking around a fair bit. He's still a bit green, he'll go for the Flying Childers next and if he were to win that, then he could go out to America as well for the race Big Evs won last year."
With both horses potentially heading stateside, the Appleby yard is poised for an exciting autumn campaign on the international stage.