Big Evs has 'really good chance' in clash of three Royal Ascot winners in Juvenile Turf Sprint

The last time the Breeders’ Cup visited Santa Anita was in 2019 when the Juvenile Turf Sprint was won by Four Wheel Drive, who was sharply away from the gates and made all.

The speed-favouring nature of the track needs bearing in mind here, as it looks set to exacerbate the advantage Big Evs already holds on form. He’s not the highest rated two-year-old in Britain and Ireland this year but he’s arguably the fastest, and that speed was in full evidence when he dominated the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster last time.

That success was reminiscent of Big Evs’s Molecomb win, fast away and making all, and those attributes make him difficult to beat here.

Big Evs’s main challenger, in the market and on form, is Crimson Advocate, who hasn’t been seen since winning the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. That form lacks depth, but she did have subsequent Lowther Stakes winner Relief Rally and Listed winner Beautiful Diamond immediately in behind and she’s capable of better still, assuming she’s firing on all cylinders after her absence.

Cherry Blossom boasts a form chance, although arguably not that much potential, in contrast to Crimson Advocate’s stablemate No Nay Mets. He too went to Royal Ascot, selling for £800,000 at the London Sale at the start of the week only to disappoint in the Norfolk Stakes. He’s made up for that since, winning by chunky margins in a lesser grade, but he has a run style that should be seen to good effect here.

It’s probably too soon to dismiss Norfolk Stakes winner Valiant Force, but he needs to bounce back from a poor run in France last time, while Slider impressed in a Listed race over course and distance in October but will need to step up again to contend here.
Race analysis by Matt Gardner

Appleby hoping Big Evs can burn off rivals

Mick Appleby is hoping to strike an early blow for Britain in the Juvenile Turf Sprint with Big Evs, who he believes has a “really good chance” from a good draw in stall four.

Big Evs is Appleby’s first runner at the big international meeting and arrives with a 3-5 record on the back of a career-best win in the Flying Childers at Doncaster.

The son of Blue Point has shown excellent early speed to lead on varying ground, including when winning the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot on good to firm, and Appleby feels Tom Marquand’s mount will be well suited by this sharp 5f test.

Appleby said: “He's got so much natural speed, that's the thing about him. His gate speed's really good and he can keep it going.

"If he's as quick out of the stalls as he is in Britain, he should have a really good chance. It's all down to him on the day and hopefully he gets out and can get in front."

Big Evs is one of three Royal Ascot winners in the field, with fellow front-runner and Queen Mary scorer Crimson Advocate one of three runners for George Weaver and Adrian Murray saddling Norfolk winner Valiant Force.

What they say

George Weaver, trainer of Crimson Advocate, No Nay Mets and Amidst Waves
We were delighted with Crimson Advocate at Royal Ascot and gave her a break with this race in mind. She's come along really nicely. No Nay Mets is fast and very classy. We're not really sure what happened with him at Ascot, but besides that run he's been pretty impressive. Amidst Waves has put together a nice resumé and has not run a bad race. She deserves a shot at this.

Crimson Advocate: won the Queen Mary at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

Stephen Thorne, managing director of Shamrock Thoroughbreds, owners of Tiger Belle
The faster the ground, the better she’ll be, and if she can get out well from her handy low draw, we would be hopeful she can run a big race.

Aidan O’Brien, trainer of Cherry Blossom
She’s fast and she should enjoy a real speed test dropping back to five furlongs.

Adrian Murray, trainer of Valiant Force
He's very fresh and well. He needs this fast ground and we're not overly disappointed with the draw in stall ten. He's taken the travelling unbelievably well. You wouldn't know he was away from home.
Reporting by Jack Haynes

Read more Breeders' Cup preview:

Carla's Way and Porta Fortuna give Britain and Ireland excellent claims in Juvenile Fillies Turf 

'I’m expecting him to put up his best performance' - Ryan Moore confident of big show from River Tiber in Juvenile Turf 

Breeders' Cup banker? Tamara bids to emulate illustrious dam Beholder with victory in Juvenile Fillies 

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