Can Big Mojo emulate stablemate Big Evs with Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes win?

Big Evs scored 12 months ago for Mick Appleby and owners RP Racing and those parties are back this year with Big Mojo, but can they repeat the trick?

Similarities can be drawn between the pair: both were beaten on their debut, won the Molecomb and lost on the start before this race. Big Mojo is also just 2lb lower on official ratings than Big Evs was at this point.

Big Evs had won the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot, though, and his defeat came when taking on his elders in the Group 1 Nunthorpe, while Big Mojo was last seen finishing fourth in the Gimcrack at York last month.

Big Mojo travelled well throughout that 6f contest and led with a furlong to go but was overhauled in the final half-furlong. We’re likely to see a better performance returned to 5f here.

The form of his Molecomb win has been boosted by runner-up Aesterius, who has since won a French Group 3, and the fourth Celandine, who then took the Lowther and, just as Big Evs was last year, he is the top-rated runner in the field.

He faces a strong challenge from Irish raider Magnum Force, who has shown rapid improvement since dropping to the minimum trip and fitted with a tongue-tie, comfortably winning a Cork maiden before looking an unlucky loser in the Roses Stakes at York’s Ebor meeting.

He was drawn in stall 16 that day when low numbers were favoured and came right across the track to challenge on the far side before being denied a clear run, going down by just a neck to Tropical Storm. He should comfortably reverse form with that rival and looks a major player.

The fly in the ointment could be Coto De Caza, who is in receipt of 3lb from most of her rivals. She may have a bit to find on ratings, but she’s been mightily impressive the last two times and this Cheveley Park entrant is clearly held in high regard.
Analysis by Harry Wilson

Going update

The going was good to soft, good in places at Doncaster on Thursday afternoon with a small chance of showers forecast for the evening before dry and bright conditions on Saturday with a temperature of 15C.

Big Mojo has 'very good chance' of repeat win for Appleby

There looks to be more depth to this Flying Childers Stakes than the one Big Mojo’s esteemed stablemate Big Evs won last year for Mick Appleby.

However, the trainer believes reverting to the same five-furlong trip that yielded the fellow RP Racing-owned juvenile’s success in the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes, should help his chances of emulating his top-class stablemate.

“He won well at Goodwood and he ran well at York, he just hit the front too soon over the six furlongs,” said Appleby. “He should be going there with a very good chance and the ground should be fine."

Appleby is responsible for one of Big Mojo’s ten rivals as Mr Lightside, a length third behind Big Mojo in the Molecomb attempts to reverse the Glorious Goodwood form.

Big Mojo on his way to winning the Molecomb Stakes

Big Mojo (3) bids to confirm the form of his Molecomb success over stablemate Mr Lightside (green)Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Appleby said: “He wasn’t far behind Big Mojo when he ran against him last time, so if he reproduces that form and his Nottingham form, then he wouldn’t be far away.”

What they say

Oisin Murphy, rider of Tropical Storm
He won really well at York and he's trained well since. This is a deep field with Big Mojo, Aesterius and Magnum Force in there and they all have to be respected.

Hollie Doyle, rider of Zayer
He's really improved with each run and got quicker. He stepped back in trip last time and broke the track record at Ripon, although I don't think there was much depth to that race. He was a breeze-up horse and he's got a really good mind. I think he'll run better than his odds suggest. Obviously, we've got a bit to find with Aesterius and a few others, but Archie [Watson] wouldn't have him in there if he didn't think he could go well.

Ed Crisford, joint-trainer of Coto De Caza
She won the Alice Keppel really nicely. She’s quite a hot filly but she overcame that at Goodwood and won that in good order. This is another step up against the colts. It’s a very good, competitive race but on her best form, she should be in the mix.

Adrian Nicholls, trainer of Maw Lam
It was a good run in France. It was disappointing she wasn't able to go to York [non-runner in the sales race at the Ebor meeting]. We were always planning to go to Doncaster even with York. This looks a very hot renewal with quite a few runners, usually there's not as many, but she's in good form and Jamie Spencer rides her, so he'll hopefully be able to smuggle her in the race.

Read the rest of Friday's previews:

1.50 Doncaster: East India Dock and Subsequent bid to extend three-year-old handicap dominance

2.25 Doncaster: 'He's got that steely mentality' - Sir Michael Stoute unleashes promising Juddmonte colt in the Flying Scotsman

3.35 Doncaster: Can Trueshan continue to defy age against strong and younger Gosden duo?

Some old friends return to the ring for 12 rounds of thumps in one of Doncaster's most iconic races