'He's the best two-year-old we've ever had' - Nunthorpe supplement on cards for gutsy Molecomb winner Big Evs

Mick Appleby was not shy in his belief in Big Evs and his judgement looks to have been well founded after the two-year-old delivered a brave victory in the Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes.

Although his success in June's Windsor Castle Stakes was completed with ease, it was a different story in testing conditions at Goodwood, with the son of Blue Point forced to dig deep to hold off a late challenge from Purosangue to win by a neck under Jason Hart. 

The narrow success made Big Evs the first horse in 30 years to land the Group 3 race after a success at Royal Ascot, with the double last achieved by Queen Mary winner Risky in 1993. 

"He's as tough as anything; he's the best two-year-old we've ever had," Appleby said. "As soon as I got him I knew he was special and he's done it very well today. 

"It was always the plan to come here after Ascot but once it started raining we had our doubts. We said last night if it rains, then we're going to pull him out, and we were still thinking about doing that an hour before the race. 

"While I don't think he liked the ground, he's tough as anything. The ground just blunted his speed early on, but because he's so tough he pulled a bit more out at the end."

It was another emotional success for owners RP Racing Ltd, who named the colt after their late friend Paul Evans and remained committed to the juvenile despite receiving offers after his Listed success in June.  

"The owners have had offers but he's not for sale, no matter what," Appleby said. "He's in the Gimcrack but we may supplement him for the Nunthorpe, and we can consider the Breeders' Cup now too – right to the top!"

Big Evs (far side): could be supplemented for the Nunthorpe Credit: Mark Cranham

Big Evs was cut to 8-1 by Paddy Power for the Group 1 race at York on August 25, but he would head there without his regular rider, with Hart already committed to 11-4 favourite and last year's winner Highfield Princess. 

 "York would suit him but obviously I wouldn't be able to ride if it were the Nunthorpe," Hart said. "They've got options though. There's the Gimcrack over six furlongs, which you can get away with on a five-furlong horse there because it's so flat.

"He didn't have the same turn of foot today in this ground as he did at Royal Ascot; he's probably ground it out more than anything. It's a totally different manner of win but he showed he had a great attitude. He's going to give the owners a lot of fun."

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