Big Evs

It's probably now just about safe for the TDN team to leave our desks briefly without fear of another stallion fee announcement dropping into the inbox. So, now that the numbers are in, here is a little further investigation as to who's going where and for how much. There were cautionary notes among last year's stallion fee announcements, just as there have been again this time around, which is no surprise given that the foal crop in Britain and Ireland has dropped again, this time by six per cent, to...

Mehmas (Ire) will head the Tally-Ho Stud roster for 2025 at €70,000 while Kodiac (GB), the horse Tony O'Callaghan often refers to as the stallion who helped build the County Westmeath outfit, will stand for €25,000--down from €35,000 in 2024. Mehmas has jumped by €20,000 following a memorable year on the track with his progeny. A statement from the stud released on Friday read, "Mehmas will stand for €70,000 following another outstanding season on the track. Europe's leading 2yo sire by winners with 60--and counting--Mehmas is responsible for eight 2yo...

DEL MAR, USA -- Ahead of the big day on Saturday, Friday's Breeders' Cup card is all about the youngsters, and the European trainers have come mob-handed with two-year-olds.  After last year's triumphs for Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the Juvenile Turf Sprint and Juvenile Turf, expectations are again high that these trophies can be smuggled out of the country.  In the former, the form of the G2 Flying Childers Stakes could well be key, as the first three home at Doncaster...

Top sprinter Big Evs (Ire) will stand at Tally-Ho Stud next season. The son of Blue Point will retire following his run in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar, a race he is a general 8-1 chance for.  Big Evs is the leading sprinter of his generation, a Group 1-winning two-year-old who has beaten some of the best older horses in a series of top-class efforts this season at three for trainer Mick Appleby. Sourced by Conor Quirke on behalf of Paul and Rachael Teasdale's RP Racing...

Royal Ascot-winning sprinter Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) has run her last race in Britain this year and will return home to Australia, her trainer Henry Dwyer confirmed on Monday. Asfoora became the latest sprinter from the southern hemisphere to strike at Royal Ascot when claiming the King Charles III Stakes and went on to finish a narrow second in a titanic battle with Big Evs at Goodwood, before bowing out in the Nunthorpe Stakes. She was an honourable fourth on the Knavesmire as Archie Watson's Bradsell blitzed his way...

At the risk of making anyone who knows me choke on their cornflakes upon reading this, I'm rather enjoying the big sprint races this year. The rivalry between Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) now stands at honours even, though it was hard not to feel that Asfoora was a little hard done by when Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) edged left just at the moment the Australian was launching her challenge down the stands' side in the G2 King...

Goodwood, UK -- In a near-repeat performance of last year, a Mick Appleby-trained 'Big' horse by a first-season sire, running in the red and blue silks of Paul and Rachael Teasdale's RP Racing Ltd, scorched to success in the G3 Molecomb Stakes.  What came next for Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) was several victories moving up through the grades and rounding off his juvenile season in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. It is a pretty safe bet that with each new victory came larger and larger offers...

It was a day that had everything. From Rosallion landing the St James's Palace S. to yet another Australian sprinter showing the Euros how it's done, day one of the royal meeting did not disappoint. Here are some of the talking points.   Faux Pas For The French Anyone who backed the French raiders Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) in the Queen Anne knew pretty early that they were not going to get off to a winning start at the royal meeting....

ARCADIA, USA -- A clean sweep for Europe in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. How about that to start the Breeders' Cup? And then for the closing act, a one-two for Aidan O'Brien in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf after the drama of the early-morning scratching of race favourite River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). For the curtain up, Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), named to honour a fallen friend, paid the best possible tribute to the late Paul Evans in giving his British owners Paul and...

RP Racing's Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) came into Friday's GI Breeders' Juvenile Turf Sprint carrying great expectation. The 2-year-old's trainer, Mick Appleby, was making his Breeders' Cup debut, as was jockey Tom Marquand. Far from newcomers in their respective bases in the UK, the duo had to travel a long way for this year's World Championships at Santa Anita, but the voyage proved worth their while as the Irish-bred proved best in a blistering renewal of the five-furlong turf test. "I'm still gobsmacked," said a visibly moved Appleby...

ARCADIA, USA -- Tom Marquand arrived at Santa Anita on Wednesday morning in the company of his wife Hollie Doyle, and while she has been ruled out of riding Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint through a suspension incurred at home, Marquand is relishing his participation aboard Big Evs (Ire). The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint favourite has shot straight to the top of the class among an exciting batch of first-crop runners for the top sprinter Blue Point (Ire). The son appeared to...

Top breeze-up handler Mickey Cleere has shared how he breathed a huge sigh of relief after Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), a horse he describes as the fastest he has ridden, bounced right back to form to run away with the G2 Flying Childers S. at Doncaster.  That win provided Cleere with an added pep to his step ahead of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, where he picked up the similarly smart juvenile Ballymount Boy (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) for just €8,000, before turning him into a €110,000 breezer...