BIG Evs (13/8 favourite) turned the tables on Australian mare Asfoora in the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes, as he held off a late challenge to prevail by a short head, while the fast-finishing Believing finished, another three parts of a length back in third.

Asfoora carried a 5lbd penalty for her Royal Ascot victory in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes, where she won by a length from Regional, with Big Evs half a length further back in third. Believing finished a close fourth that day and landed the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes before Friday’s rematch.

Tom Marquand positioned Big Evs in second on Friday as Czech raider Ponntos set a blistering pace, with Mick Appleby’s Breeders’ Cup hero taking over before the two furlong pole. Ridden clear a furlong later, the bay dug deep as his older rival did her best to narrow the gap, while Nunthorpe Stakes victor Live In The Dream was among the beaten horses in fourth.

On his stable star, Mick Appleby said, “Big Evs is one in a million – the best I’ve trained by a long way. That was very good. I thought they were going to come and do us at the end, but he’s very tough and found a bit more. It was a great ride.

“At Ascot, the ground probably wasn’t perfect for us and the stiff finish is completely different to here. The ground was a lot quicker here as well, so we fancied him today.”

The Abbaye, Nunthorpe and a return to the Breeders’ Cup were all mentioned by Appleby as possible targets for the RP Racing-owned bay. Connections were successful earlier in the week when Big Mojo claimed the Molecomb Stakes, a race won by Big Evs last year.

Appleby reflected: “It is unbelievable really, to think where I was 10 to 15 years ago to where we are now. We have some great owners now that support the yard – they spend the money and I get results like this. We have a great team at home that work very hard.”

Big Evs continues to fly the flag for breeze-up consignor Michael Cleere, who bought the Rabbah-bred son of Blue Point at Tattersalls for 50,000gns, before selling him privately to Conor Quirke on behalf of the owners.

JOHN Gosden complimented Kieran Shoemark and noted the firmer ground conditions after Lead Artist (9/2) captured the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes for owner/breeder Juddmonte Farms.

The son of Dubawi was narrowly denied on his April debut before impressing in a six-runner field at York. A first attempt on good-to-soft ground in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes saw him finish third as 6/4 favourite.

That winner Al Musmak headed Friday’s market, but was eventually beaten four lengths by the Gosdens’ charge, who led for much of the way. Ridden from two furlongs out, he drew clear approaching the final furlong and kept on to deny Gimcrack Stakes third King’s Gamble by three parts of a length, with another half a length back to Juddmonte’s Middle Park Stakes runner-up Task Force in third.

“Kieran controlled the race and dominated it very well,” John Gosden later commented. “The horse has improved greatly – he didn’t like that ground at Newmarket, it was too soft – and hopefully he’s good enough to come back here for the Celebration Mile.

“He missed all of last year, so he started out in the Wood Ditton. He’s very much a horse on an upward curve but the good thing is that we have August, September, October, so plenty of racing to come. If he gets better and better, he could be a lovely four-year-old too.”

On the yard’s retained rider Kieran Shoemark, the trainer added: “There are seven retained jockeys in the stable already, retained by their owners. To that extent, it does limit what Kieran can ride. He hasn’t had the rub of the green on some of them and some of them have been slow to come to themselves, but that’s normal.”

The prominent ride marked a 500th career win for Shoemark, on which the jockey commented, “I’ve had a bit of a stop-start career so I wouldn’t be gloating about it but it’s a nice milestone to reach.”

On the horse who provided it, he added, “When he won the conditions race at York, I thought that he was quite special, so it’s nice to see him get his Group success today. He’s still very unexposed – he’s a lightly raced three-year-old – so the future is bright.”

TOIMY Son repaid local trainer David Menuisier’s persistence when returning to form in the Coral Golden Mile Handicap worth £150,000.

The bay cost Menuisier €160,000 in October 2022, but disappointed the following season, with Friday marking his first win since landing a Listed raced for Yann Barberot in May 2022.

At a career-low mark of 88, he was sent off a 12/1 shot under Oisin Murphy, who faced a formidable challenge from stall 21. Racing towards the back of the field, the Twilight Son gelding was ridden to lead approaching the final furlong and went on to win by a comfortable two lengths.

“He had a couple of colic operations and nearly died, so we had to give him time,” Menuisier revealed after the race. “Oisin rode an absolute peach. He’s won a massive race so we’ll enjoy this one. Big time. He was beaten by Wild Tiger, who won the Royal Hunt Cup, so we knew he was capable of doing something big.”