By Tom Frary
Everybody had a fair crack at Saturday's Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock and it was the 16-1 shot Big Mojo (Mohaather) who proved the quickest and toughest to register another Group 1 success for some very lucky owners. Following the example of Paul and Rachael Teasdale's Breeders' Cup-winning fairytale story Big Evs, the Mick Appleby-trained three-year-old forged his own day in the limelight as he grafted on the front end for William Buick throughout en route to a 1 1/4-length success.
Last year's runner-up Kind Of Blue (Blue Point) was in that spot again, nosing out fellow Wathnan runner Flora Of Bermuda (Dark Angel) while the even-money favourite Lazzat (Territories) was only fifth. “The hardest job was getting him to the start and pulling him up,” Buick said. “He's just a real sprinter, he's got two speeds and he was lovely and smooth throughout the race. He's very genuine and I didn't have a moment's worry. They all turned up, it was a big field and this was well-deserved.”
After the exploits of Big Evs, it was something of a surprise that the Teasdales were able to pull another rabbit out of the hat as Big Mojo took Goodwood's G3 Molecomb Stakes at 25-1 last July. Proving that was no fluke, he rounded off his campaign with a close fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and returned with a win in Ascot's G3 Commonwealth Cup Trial.
Remaining at this six-furlong trip after that reintroduction, he looked as if it could be a shade too far when outstayed in the July Cup but back at five for Goodwood's G2 King George Stakes he was below-par and out of the frame. This was a step forward as he kept his group racing stand's side honest and, while he obviously benefitted from a bias on that rail, the way he piled on the pressure late suggests any stamina doubts can be put to bed.
Appleby said, “Everything went to plan and it took William half the track to pull him up! There were a lot of question marks next to his name, but he was in great form at home and we were coming here quite optimistic, to be fair. We were obviously disappointed with his last run and there was a question mark–he had to prove he was still at the top and he did.”
Paul Teasdale is looking at another Breeders' Cup raid. “We knew he was capable and we knew this was a Group 1 horse and it was just a case of getting it right on the day,” he said. “He came fourth at the Breeders' Cup last year and we wouldn't be scared to go back. We think he's equally good at five or six furlongs and he handled Del Mar really well last year. We've got an entry at Ascot on Champions Day and we might even consider the Prix de l'Abbaye. Let's enjoy today and we'll think about it.”
There has been a big question mark hanging over Kind Of Blue all season and James Fanshawe was happy to see him back to near his best ahead of a bid for back-to-back British Champions Sprint wins. “He ran really well and I am just really pleased to see him run well again,” he said. “He loves it at Ascot, so we look forward to going back there again with him.”
🟥 BIG MOJO 🟦
Hard and fast up the stands' rail, Big Mojo is much too good in the @Betfair Sprint Cup @haydockraces.
A HUGE DAY for the @MickApplebyUK team 🏆@WilliamBuickX pic.twitter.com/69efGrkHkT
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 6, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Big Mojo, who becomes the first Group 1 winner for his second-crop sire, is the first foal out of the Listed National Stakes runner-up JM Jackson (No Nay Never) who is a full-sister to the Listed scorer Singforthemoment. From the family of Selkirk's dual Group-winning sire Trans Island, the GII Belmont Gold Cup winner Baron Samedi (Harbour Watch) and the champion sprinter College Chapel, her two-year-old filly by Bungle Inthejungle sadly died while she has a colt foal by Showcasing to come.
Saturday, Haydock, Britain
BETFAIR SPRINT CUP STAKES-G1, £427,000, Haydock, 9-6, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:08.49, gd.
1–BIG MOJO (IRE), 129, c, 3, by Mohaather (GB)
1st Dam: Jm Jackson (Ire) (SP-Eng), by No Nay Never
2nd Dam: Kawn (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
3rd Dam: Khubza (GB), by Green Desert
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (175,000gns Ylg '23 TADEY). O-RP Racing Ltd; B-Ringfort Stud Ltd & The Ladies; T-Michael Appleby; J-William Buick. £242,152. Lifetime Record: 11-3-3-0, $776,898. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Kind Of Blue (GB), 131, c, 4, Blue Point (Ire)–Blues Sister (GB), by Compton Place (GB). TDN Rising Star. O-Wathnan Racing; B-Mr & Mrs M Morris, Mr & Mrs P Hopper; T-James Fanshawe. £91,805.
3–Flora Of Bermuda (Ire), 128, f, 4, Dark Angel (Ire)–Dubai Power (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB). (€65,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; €52,500 Ylg '22 ARAUG; £340,000 2yo '23 GOUKB). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Francisco Bernal; T-Andrew Balding. £45,945.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, HF. Odds: 16.00, 12.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Rage Of Bamby (Ire), Lazzat (Fr), Inisherin (GB), Time For Sandals (Ire), Sky Majesty (Ire), No Half Measures (GB), Run To Freedom (GB), My Mate Alfie (Ire), Beauvatier (Fr), Ain't Nobody (Ire), Diligent Harry (GB), Annaf (Ire), Sayidah Dariyan (Ire), James's Delight (Ire).
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