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| Staff Writer |
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Big Mojo gave trainer Mick Appleby back-to-back victories in the Gr.3 Jaeger-LeCoultre Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood, emulating stablemate Big Evs' success from 12 months ago.
Carrying the colours of RP Racing Ltd, the popular entire surged to a three-quarters of a length victory under Silvestre de Sousa. Appleby's domination was further emphasised as he also saddled the third-placed Mr Lightside, with the pair split by Aesterius for trainer Archie Watson.
Big Mojo, stepping up markedly from a runner-up effort in a Beverley maiden earlier this month, showed a sharp turn of foot to claim his first victory in style.
Appleby, celebrating his third Qatar Goodwood Festival winner, said: "I said I couldn't split Big Mojo and Mr Lightside – I worked them together on Saturday and couldn't pick between them. I just said they will both be in the frame."
The trainer added: "They are both very good and wouldn't be far behind Big Evs either as 2YOs. They could both go to America for the Breeders' Cup but Big Mojo will go to the Gimcrack first."
De Sousa, notching his 17th Qatar Goodwood Festival winner, was full of praise for the improving colt: "It was great – Big Mojo is an exciting horse. He's improved a lot since his last run in a maiden, and it was a nice way to break a maiden in a Group Three. He is only going to improve."
Owner Paul Teasdale revealed ambitious plans for Big Mojo, saying: "We wanted to call him Mojo but we couldn't so we called him Big Mojo. We bought him just after the Breeders' Cup last year. Big Mojo is bred for six furlongs, so the Gimcrack Stakes will be the perfect race for him."
Watson, while disappointed not to win with Aesterius, remained upbeat: "You can't be unhappy; he's just raced away from the winner a bit. These things happen in these big fields. He's run a huge race and got his head down on the line to win the photo for second. He's very exciting, very professional, and he's growing up race to race."
The Molecomb success continues a remarkable run for Appleby with his juvenile sprinters, following Big Evs' triumph in this race last year and subsequent Breeders' Cup glory. Big Evs is set to return to action in Friday's G2 King George Qatar Stakes, aiming to further enhance Appleby's reputation as a master trainer of speedy 2YOs.
As Big Mojo basks in the glow of his Group-race victory, all eyes will now turn to his next target, with the Gimcrack Stakes at York looming as a potential stepping stone to even greater glory.