Mick Appleby Prepares Big Evs for Breeders’ Cup Repeat at Del Mar

Mick Appleby is sticking to a familiar routine as he prepares Big Evs for a trip to Del Mar, aiming for back-to-back Breeders’ Cup victories.

The son of Blue Point wrapped up a successful juvenile season with a win at the end-of-year championships at Santa Anita last November, and California is calling once more for the Rutland trainer and his star sprinter.

With a focus on the Breeders’ Cup since his lacklustre finish in the Nunthorpe, Big Evs is reportedly in excellent form as he ramps up his preparations, including a planned away day at Southwell before heading to the U.S.

He’ll be joined Stateside by stablemate Big Mojo, who mirrored Big Evs' success by winning the Molecomb at Goodwood earlier this season. Both horses are owned by Paul and Rachael Teasdale, and connections are excited about their dual transatlantic campaign.

"Big Evs is in great shape, and we’re all set for the Breeders’ Cup," said Appleby. "He’s gearing up nicely, and we believe he’s in good form, so we’re looking forward to it. We’re following the same plan as last year, though there’s a bit more time between his last run and the trip to America this time around. We’ll likely have a gallop at Southwell soon; we intended to go last week but didn’t want to disrupt Aidan’s schedule! Big Evs is doing well, and it’s great that Big Mojo is going too, which is exciting for the owners. I think both horses have a solid chance over there."