'A very special horse' - Little Big Bear demolishes Phoenix Stakes rivals

Saturday: Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, Curragh

Little Big Bear produced a scintillating performance to give Aidan O'Brien his 17th victory in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, but little did we know until the race was over how touch and go the colt's participation was.

O'Brien said: “We had a little bit of a scare with him before the race. After coming up here he kicked a wall and the clip of the shoe went into his hind foot, so he was a bit tender when we put the shoe back on him.

"But thanks to John Halley [Coolmore vet] and Lynn Hillyer [the IHRB chief veterinary officer], they discussed it and they were happy to let him run.

"It was one of those things and it could easily have gone the other way, so my thanks to everyone for letting it happen. For humans it might be the equivalent of pulling off a fingernail, so we are very appreciative.”

It almost makes one think how far he would have won had his preparation on the day gone without a hitch.

Watch a deeply impressive victory by Little Big Bear

Ryan Moore was happy to let him dominate from the front. The chasing group closed to challenge over a furlong out, but when Moore asked him a question he quickened clear in a few strides.

He stretched right away to beat Persian Force by seven lengths with Railway Stakes winner Shartash a staying-on third, a further half-length away.

Another length back in fourth was the previously unbeaten Coventry Stakes winner Bradsell, the 11-8 favourite who stumbled coming out of the stalls and never got into the race.

Little Big Bear, a son of No Nay Never, was following up victories in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Anglesey Stakes here, but those performances paled into near insignificance compared with this and Paddy Power were quick to cut him to 5-1 favouritism for the 2023 Qipco 2,000 Guineas.

O'Brien said: “Ryan gave him a great ride. He is a very powerful horse with a lot of speed. Ryan said when he let him go the race was over.

"He has been progressing lovely with every run and everything had gone smoothly since his last run here. It was a very deep race today but the closer the race got the more worried we were after what happened to him, but he has serious class. I can't recall any winner we have had of this race winning like that.

“From day one we thought he was very special. He has serious power. We thought going to Ascot that we would get away with running him over five furlongs and we were very confident after that going six furlongs with him.

Aidan O'Brien: it's thumbs up from the trainer after the stunning performance of Little Big BearCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

"Looking at that he would have no trouble staying seven furlongs, even though he has so much speed and travels so strong. He could go to the Prix Morny, he could go to the Middle Park, he could even go for the Nunthorpe.”

The rest of the field were reduced to bit players having looked a serious bunch beforehand. Runner-up Persian Force ran perfectly respectably and turned the Coventry Stakes tables around with Bradsell.

Rider Rossa Ryan said: “Turning the Coventry form around was something we thought we might do. He has improved and he is a good horse in his own right, but the winner is clearly very good and a step above everything else.

"I jumped okay and Ryan decided to go forward, I would have led if nothing else wanted to, but I was happy with that. We turned on the gallop a long way out and I came to him inside the two but he just went on again. Fair play to him, he's a good horse.”

Apart from the winner, one horse that did probably enhance his reputation was the third home Shartash, despite having won the Railway Stakes on his last start. He came home really well and was closing on the runner-up all the way to the line under Ben Coen.

Trainer Johnny Murtagh said: “Ben said he was travelling well but then the first two quickened up, but when he got his second wind he said he was delighted with the way he stayed to the line.

"If there was another furlong today I think he would have been second, so we will stick to the plan and probably go for the National Stakes.”

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