By Tom Frary
Taking his revenge on his Royal Ascot conqueror Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}), Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}–Hana Lina {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) returned to winning ways in Friday's G2 King George Qatar Stakes on Goodwood's fast downhill five-furlong strip over which he had won the 2023 G3 Molecomb Stakes. Third to the Australian runner in last month's G1 King Charles III Stakes, last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint hero was sent off the 13-8 favourite and raced in second early under Tom Marquand with Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}) blazing the trail.
Picking off that raider before two out, the Mick Appleby-trained 3-year-old saw out the distance strong enough to hold the penalised Asfoora by a short head, with Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) 3/4 of a length behind in third. Both the front two will re-oppose in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes next month. “I thought she was coming to do him at the end, but he's very tough and Tom gave him a great ride,” Appleby said. “The finish is completely different here to Ascot and the fast ground helped too. I'll have to have a chat with [owner] Paul [Teasdale] to see where we go, but we've got the Nunthorpe and the Abbaye if the ground comes quick which is probably unlikely. I'd imagine that whatever happens we'll be back to America.”
Henry Dwyer said of Asfoora, “She is a quick mare, but they went a bit quick for her early. Big Evs was able to control his own destiny, whereas we were stuck behind a couple and got a bit of a bump at around the 300. I think that's probably cost her the win, but she's run great. The leaders here just have such an easy time of it early, because they run downhill for the first 400. It levels out a bit after that, but if they're going quick early, they get an easy time. She's gone terrific–I couldn't have hoped for her to go better, just disappointed not to win, having gone so well. Everyone has been so great to us, and we've very much enjoyed the experience.”
JUST
clings on from the fast-finishing Asfoora in a cracking finish to the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes.
Another big prize for @MickApplebyUK's stable star @q_rec | @qatarairways#QatarGoodwoodFestival #GloriousGoodwood #GoodwoodRaces pic.twitter.com/BbEPDaG0qZ
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 2, 2024
Pedigree Notes
Big Evs's dam Hana Lina , who also has a 2-year-old filly by Ribchester (Ire) and a yearling son of Earthlight (Ire), is a daughter of the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes-winning European champion 2-year-old filly Queen's Logic (Ire) (Grand Lodge) who also produced the G2 Diadem Stakes and G3 Princess Margaret Stakes winner Lady Of The Desert (Rahy). She is in turn responsible for Queen Kindly (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who like Queen's Logic captured the G2 Lowther Stakes and produced Queen Me (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who was second in that York contest.
Queen's Logic is a half-sister to Danehill's multiple group 1-winning Arc hero Dylan Thomas (Ire), with the family including the fellow Classic-winning luminaries Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Friday, Goodwood, Britain
KING GEORGE QATAR STAKES-G2, £317,000, Goodwood, 8-2, 3yo/up, 5fT, :56.62, g/f.
1–BIG EVS (IRE), 127, c, 3, by Blue Point (Ire)
1st Dam: Hana Lina (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Queen's Logic (Ire), by Grand Lodge
3rd Dam: Lagrion, by Diesis (GB)
(50,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-RP Racing Ltd; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited (IRE); T-Michael Appleby; J-Tom Marquand. £179,771. Lifetime Record: GISW-US & G1SP-Eng, 9-6-1-1, $1,122,899. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Asfoora (Aus), 132, m, 6, Flying Artie (Aus)–Golden Child (Aus), by I Am Invincible (Aus). (24,000 RNA Ylg '20 MGMADE). O/B-Noor Elaine Farm Pty Ltd (AUS); T-Henry Dwyer. £68,155.
3–Believing (Ire), 130, f, 4, Mehmas (Ire)–Misfortunate (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). (70,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT; 115,000gns 2yo '22 TATBRE). O-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing (Jane Addams); B-M Mullen & Cloneymore Farm (IRE); T-George Boughey. £34,109.
Margins: SHD, 3/4, 1. Odds: 1.63, 2.75, 7.00.
Also Ran: Live In The Dream (Ire), Kerdos (Ire), Starlust (GB), Rogue Lightning (Ire), Ponntos (Ire), Sturlasson (Ire), Desperate Hero (GB). Scratched: Moss Tucker (Ire), Jasour (GB), Makarova (GB).
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