Aesterius gets the better of Big Mojo in tight Flying Childers finish
Aesterius turned the tables on his old rival Big Mojo to claim top honours in the Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.
Big Mojo was bidding to provide trainer Mick Appleby and owners Paul and Rachael Teasdale with back-to-back victories in the Group Two contest, following the success of the popular Big Evs 12 months ago, and battled his way to the front inside the last of five furlongs.
However, the Archie Watson-trained Aesterius (7-2), who had been pipped by Big Mojo in Goodwood’s Molecomb Stakes before landing a Group Three in France less than a fortnight ago, was produced with a late run by James Doyle in the Wathnan Racing silks and finished best to win the day by a neck.
Irish raider Magnum Force, the 11-4 favourite at the off following a luckless outing in the Roses Stakes at York last month, was best of the rest in third.
Doyle said: “He hasn’t done a lot wrong, I just felt I did a couple of things wrong in the Molecomb – I perhaps rode him too conservatively.
“When we went to France I was keen to make use of his speed and again today, I spoke to Archie beforehand and he said ‘let him get out and do his thing’.
“We raced pretty much by ourselves most of the way and he did have a look at the crowd when I put him under pressure, so that can only be a good sign.”