‘One in a million’ Big Evs holds off Asfoora to land Goodwood triumph | Horse racing

The speed clash on the Sussex downs reached an exhilarating conclusion on Friday as Mick Appleby’s three-year-old Big Evs charged down the hill, narrowly fending off the late surge of Asfoora to win the King George Stakes by a short head. This victory sets the stage for a rematch with the Australian-trained Asfoora in the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes scheduled for later in August at York.

Out of the 10 competitors in Friday’s Group Two, three had already claimed a top-level victory, and the pace was blistering from the start as Ponntos, a rare Czech-trained runner in the UK, took an early lead.

However, within a furlong, Big Evs reclaimed his usual position at the frontrunner, and while his remarkable natural speed was just sufficient for triumph on one of the fastest five-furlong tracks in the country, the narrative might change if he faces Asfoora again on the Knavesmire on August 23.

Remember, Big Evs finished only two of his 15 competitors in last year’s Nunthorpe, as he was a rare juvenile in the event, and the lightning-quick sprint track didn’t align with Asfoora’s powerful finishing style.

Asfoora, for her part, was also carrying a Group One penalty for her triumph in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, where Big Evs finished a length and a half behind her in third place. Currently, she stands as a slight favorite for the Nunthorpe at about 3-1, with Big Evs listed at 9-2.

“Big Evs is one in a million, the best I’ve trained by far,” Appleby stated. “I thought they might catch us at the end, but he’s incredibly tough and found a little extra. At Ascot, the ground was likely perfect for us, and the stiff finish there is entirely different from here.”

Henry Dwyer, the trainer of Asfoora, remains optimistic about reversing the day’s results if the two horses meet again at York.

“She’s a quick mare, but they went a bit too fast for her early on,” Dwyer remarked. “Big Evs managed to dictate his own fate, whereas we were trapped behind a couple of horses and got a bump about 300 meters out. I think that probably cost her the win, but she performed excellently.”

Kieran Shoemark has faced more setbacks than major race victories since stepping up from Frankie Dettori as the top rider at John and Thady Gosden’s influential Newmarket stable this season, but he celebrated a much-welcomed Group race win earlier in the card as Lead Artist claimed the Group Three Thoroughbred Stakes with an expertly executed front-running strategy.

“Kieran controlled and dominated the race superbly,” John Gosden commented. “The horse has shown significant improvement, and we’re hopeful he’s good enough to return here for the Celebration Mile on August 24.”

“There are currently seven retained jockeys in the stable, all retained by their owners, so it limits Kieran’s riding options. He hasn’t had his share of good fortune with some rides, and a few of them have taken a while to find their form, which is normal.”

“We’re still only halfway through the year, so there’s plenty of time left. We had two winners at Royal Ascot, both ridden by retained jockeys, meaning Kieran wouldn’t have been able to ride them even if he wished to.”

Normally, low numbers hold a significant advantage in the Golden Mile Handicap, but this year proved different as Toimy Son, starting from the widest draw in a 16-strong field, triumphantly crossed the line ahead of Dutch Decoy, who started from the adjacent stall.

“When I saw the draw a few days ago, I pretty much lost all hope,” said David Menuisier, who trains Toimy Son a few miles from Goodwood in Pulborough. “Oisin [Murphy] delivered a fantastic ride. He’s won a huge race, so we’ll relish this one immensely.”

Rumstar Shines on Saturday

Compared to last year’s rain-soaked event, this week’s Glorious Goodwood has experienced perfect weather conditions and dry summer ground, setting the stage for a much better spectacle of Saturday’s Stewards’ Cup, the highlight of the final day, than the 2023 edition when the ground was nearly un-raceable.

This, however, doesn’t simplify the task of prediction, as there’s noticeable pace on both sides of the track, complicating any conclusions about the draw’s potential impact. Among the early favorites, Dark Trooper has a clear shot if he builds on his second-place finish in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot, although he was 3lb heavier there and still didn’t quite measure up. Purosangue, a Listed winner as a juvenile who competed in Group One events at the royal meeting, might also contend on his handicap debut, though his initial rating of 101 seems a bit tough given his form.

Neither seems to offer considerable value at single-digit odds, yet Rumstar (3.35) stands out as a compelling each-way alternative at approximately 25-1. He hasn’t claimed a win since securing a Group Three as a juvenile but performed respectably, finishing fifth in the Group One Commonwealth Cup last season. He has gradually dropped in the weights this season and a repeat of his form, which saw him finish second at Newbury in May, would position him very well.

Goodwood 1.50 This Group Three isn’t the strongest of the season, and doubts linger regarding the capacity of top-rated Al Aasy to deliver a successful run, thus today could mark the occasion when Aimeric clinches his first victory outside handicap competition.

Newmarket 2.05 Art Design made significant progress to finish second in a competitive race at Thirsk last time and appears to have been set quite lightly with a mark of 71 for her nursery debut.

Goodwood 2.25 The reliable Dancing In Paris is expected to receive the solid pace he requires at this distance and seems undervalued at around 12-1 to secure another win following his success at Ascot last month.

Newmarket 2.40 John and Thady Gosden aim for a hat-trick in this Listed event, and the lightly-raced Place Of Safety may emerge as the best of their two entries.

Goodwood 3.00 The distance appeared to be a challenge for Caius Chorister in the Gold Cup at Ascot previously, but she had shown significant improvement in good company earlier this season and has a strong possibility of success when dropping back in both trip and grade here.