The top speedsters lit up Friday’s Goodwood feature as Big Evs valiantly remained unbeaten at the festival by holding off Asfoora in the King George Qatar Stakes.
Australian raider Asfoora had bolted up to win the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, with the Mick Appleby-trained Big Evs back in third – but it was a different outcome on the Sussex Downs.
Winner of the Molecomb here 12 months ago, Big Evs led early as they burst clear of the stalls for the Group Two feature, although it was the Czech runner Ponntos that took it up.
As they approached the final furlong Big Evs rose to the challenge for Tom Marquand, with Asfoora well off the pace and seemingly out of it, before being shaken up by Oisin Murphy and finishing like a train on the outside.
Big Evs had done enough, though, holding on to secure victory by a short head as the 13/8 favourite. The highly-consistent Believing ran on well to take third.
Appleby said of his winner: “He’s a star, he’s an amazing horse. He’s one in a million, the best I’ve trained by a long way.
“Of course I expected him to win! I knew it’d suit him a lot better here than at Ascot, the ground was a lot quicker as well.
“He had everything in his favour here and I thought he’d do it. He’s done it well.
Big Evs landed the King George Qatar Stakes for trainer Mick Appleby
“He’s massive to me, he will be retired at the end of this season so we’re trying to enjoy it. He’s been great for the yard, for everybody, great for Paul (Teasdale, owner) as he spends a lot of money and we love having him on board.”
It has been quite a week for Appleby, with this his fourth winner of the meeting and his second at Group-race level after Big Mojo’s victory in the same colours in Wednesday’s running of the Molecomb Stakes.
Big Evs disappointed in the Nunthorpe at York after his Goodwood win in 2023, but he looks set for another tilt at Group One glory on the Knavesmire on August 23.
Appleby added: “It’s unbelievable really, to think where I was 10-15 years ago to where we are now. We have some great owners now that support the yard – they spend the money and I get results like this. We have a great team at home that work very hard.
“They could both [Big Mojo and Big Evs] go to the Breeders’ Cup, it’s looking very possible.
“Big Evs will go to York, that’s the plan at the moment. He had a very hard race before York last year and it probably came too soon after the Molecomb, he was taking on the older horses as well.
“It was probably a mistake to go there, but we wanted to try to win it at two.
“Obviously I’ll have to have a chat with Paul to see where we go. We’ve got the Nunthorpe, possibly the Abbaye if the ground came up quick, which is probably unlikely.
“I would imagine that whatever happens we’ll be topping it off back in America.”
Marquand said: “He’s fantastic. He’s literally got too much speed!
“Obviously, Ponntos has exceptional off-the-blocks boot early on and, to be honest, from the three to the two, he was eating up ground.
“I was trying to get half a breather in before I went and took the race. He just doesn’t want restraining. He’s got so much raw boot and trying to tame that, it almost feels like there is no point, because he grits down for you as well in that last 100 yards. You don’t need to save an awful lot on a track like this for him.
“He’s an exceptional racehorse and to come back at three as good as he was at two is pretty special.”
Lead Artist was on the mark at Goodwood on Friday
Lead Artist shines under Shoemark at Goodwood
Lead Artist made all under Kieran Shoemark to win the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood.
The lightly-raced Dubawi colt jumped out of stall one and hugged the far rail as they set a sharp early pace in the Group Three contest.
French Guineas runner-up Dancing Gemini and Native American raced prominently in behind, but the smooth-travelling King’s Gamble looked the main danger once he found racing room down the outside.
King’s Gamble gave chase inside the final furlong, but the John and Thady Gosden-trained Lead Artist – who was so impressive at York’s Dante meeting – had built up enough of a lead to come home three-quarters of a length clear at 9/2.
“He’s always been talented and I think the ground was a little bit too soft for him at Newmarket last time. He possibly needed the run too,” said Shoemark, who was recording the 500th success of his career.
“He has come on for that run and the quick ground today has certainly suited.
“When he won at York, I thought that he was quite special, so it’s nice to see him get his Group-race success.
“He’s still very unexposed – he’s a lightly-raced three-year-old – so the future is bright.”
Of his landmark, Shoemark added: “I’ve had a bit of a stop-start career so I wouldn’t be gloating about it but it’s a nice milestone to reach. Juddmonte are one of the most important owner/breeders in the industry and they have a lot of horses in with John and Thady so it’s important to ride them winners.”
John Gosden was pleased to see the youngster put a disappointing run at Newmarket behind him and is now eyeing a return to Goodwood for the Group Two Celebration Mile on August 24.
“When you’re drawn [in stall] one here and the cutaway has gone, you better get out and get a position. It’s the easiest place to get boxed in, but he controlled the race and dominated it very well,” said the Clarehaven handler.
“He didn’t like that ground at Newmarket, it was too soft. Hopefully he’s good enough to come back for the Celebration Mile here.
“He missed all of last year, he started first time out this year in the Wood Ditton and he’s very much a horse on an upward curve. The good thing is you’ve got August, September and October – there’s plenty of racing to come.
“Time will tell, but if he gets better and better he’ll be a lovely four-year-old.”
Toimy Son was given a peach of a ride by Oisin Murphy
Toimy Son lights up Goodwood’s Golden Mile
Toimy Son produced a powerful finish to land the Coral Golden Mile for trainer David Menuisier.
The five-year-old Twilight Son gelding was in the midfield for much of the valuable handicap before three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy made his move inside the final quarter of a mile.
As the pace quickened, Toimy Son (12/1) made headway on the outside to pass many of his rivals, including early front-runner Benacre.
Holloway Bay put up a fight at the furlong marker, but he was no match for Toimy Son who stretched his advantage to two lengths in an impressive display, with the Charlie Johnston-trained Dutch Decoy pipping Karl Burke’s charge into second by half a length.
“I bought him at the Arc sale 18 months ago, I don’t know if I had him wrong, but he wasn’t doing anything last year. We decided to geld him to have an all-weather campaign, he decided to have a couple of colic operations and he nearly died,” said Menuisier.
“We had to give him time and this season he was coming back to some sort of form, I kept him over seven [furlongs] because he was always a bit keen. By racing he settled naturally so I thought it’s time to go back to a mile, we’ll save him for the Golden Mile and if he gets in he should be competitive.
“When I saw the draw I kind of lost all hope! He was 21 of 21, I thought it was going to be really difficult. I spoke to Oisin and he thought the horse had a massive chance so we tried to go a bit more forward than usual – the rest is history really.”
Murphy said: “David is a local trainer and will be over the moon.
“It’s really hard to win these competitive handicaps and he had a terrible draw, but showed a good turn of foot. Kyle Strydom has done a lot of work with him – thanks to him and all the team at David’s for getting the horse here in great shape.
“I revved him up at the start a little because he can be slowly away. I tried to get inside his head and actually it worked as he broke better. I couldn’t use up too much petrol and – I don’t want to complicate this – but I was able to get in one-off [the rail], travel, and he picked up well.”