3 minute read
The Mick Appleby-trained high-class juvenile will attempt to put his Nunthorpe disappointment behind with the Flying Childers a likely target ahead of a trip to Santa Anita.
Big Evs built on his promising debut effort to land the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot at the second time of asking and proved he was the real deal with victory in the Molecomb at Goodwood in August.
His tough Molecomb success in testing conditions encouraged connections to have a crack at the Nunthorpe, where Big Evs would bid to become the first two-year-old to land the five-furlong speed test on the Knavesmire since Kingsgate Native in 2007.
However, the 5/1 chance never looked comfortable under now Hong Kong-based rider Andrea Atzeni and he only managed to beat two home in the sixteen-strong field.
Mick Appleby, who put the below-par performance down to his tough race at Goodwood, is now aiming dreaming at Breeders' Cup success by stating that Big Evs' 'main aim' will come at Santa Anita later this year.
Appleby said: "He's absolutely fine, he came back fine, and we had bloods taken and couldn't find anything amiss,"
"He trotted up sound, I think it's just that he had a lot harder race at Goodwood than we thought.
"It was a big ask for a two-year-old against older horses at this time of year, but I think it was more that – he'd just had a hard enough race at Goodwood, and it came a couple of weeks too soon for him.
"He's come out of it well, anyway, so we'll just dust ourselves down and go again.
"He'll possibly go to the Flying Childers and then the main aim is the Breeders' Cup.
"It's an easy five furlongs, it's on the turf at Santa Anita and that should suit him so provided it doesn't hammer down with rain, we'll head there."