Big Evs and Mick Appleby ready for big day in California

Flying Childers repeat expected to put Goodwood winner bang there in Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Big Evs will carry British hopes on his broad shoulders when he attempts to blast his way to a famous victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

Mick Appleby’s youngster has been one of the season’s star juveniles and will attempt to bring his stellar season to a fitting end in the shadows of the San Gabriel Mountains on Friday.

The Royal Ascot scorer will be his trainer’s first runner at the showpiece event and after his one disappointment this season in the Nunthorpe, the son of Blue Point was back to his brilliant best when blazing a trail in the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.

The Rutland-based handler is thrilled to be in California with his star performer, who he believes has proven he is more than capable of handling top talent.

“I’ve never really had the right ammo in the two-year-old division, but I think with this horse I’ve proved I can do it,” said Appleby.

“After Goodwood we thought about coming here and as to his blip in the Nunthorpe it came just two weeks after a hard race in soft ground and we put a line through it. In hindsight we shouldn’t have run at York, it was way too soon.

“Doncaster was a most impressive win and if he reproduces it he will take a lot of beating.”

Tom Marquand was in the saddle when registering a breathtaking all-the-way success on Town Moor in September and will once again be aboard the speedy youngster whose blistering starts have been a hallmark of his campaign.

“He absolutely flew out of the gate this morning and should be as good at it as any of the Americans,” said Appleby.

“My main concern is going round a bend, but Tom breezed him yesterday and said he coped with it really well. The ground will ride on the quick side which is fine for us.”

American trainer George Weaver saddles a three-strong hand in opposition, with Royal Ascot heroine Crimson Advocate the headline attraction alongside stablemates No Nay Mets and Amidst Waves.

The Queen Mary winner will be a first runner at the Breeders’ Cup for Qatar-based Wathnan Racing and she will appear for the first time in their increasingly-familiar silks when stepping out in the hands of John Velazquez.

“We’re excited and it will be an exciting day,” said Case Clay, Wathnan’s racing adviser in the USA.

“This is the Breeders’ Cup so it will be very tough competition. We’re just hoping for a nice clean break and the nice thing about the turf sprint is it is just get out and go – once the gates open it is going to be just that.

“We’re really happy to have John Velazquez on board, especially with his great experience at Ascot, and that is reassuring. We are just very excited.

“Olly Tait (senior Wathnan representative) has given me instruction to look for quality and she is the first purchase and hopefully there will be some more.”

Others from the home team to watch for include John Saddler’s Slider who claimed the Speakeasy Stakes over track and trip last month and Steven Asmussen’s Committee Of One, who accounted for Weaver’s Amidst Waves in the Indian Summer Stakes.

Asmussen said: “It was a breakthrough race last time. Obviously, at five-eighths on the turf (in stall 12), you need to get lucky with the trip. He’s a horse that likes to come from a little off of it, so hopefully a good trip will open up.”

There is a strong Irish challenge which features shock Royal Ascot winner Valiant Force, a first runner for Adrian Murray at the end-of-season spectacular, while the hat-trick-seeking Tiger Belle is just a second runner at the meeting for Adrian McGuinness.

Jessica Harrington’s Middle Park fourth Givemethebeatboys and Aidan O’Brien’s Cherry Blossom are the others making the trip from Ireland, while Frankie Dettori will get the leg-up aboard Ralph Beckett’s Starlust.

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