Mick Appleby is following a familiar routine as he prepares Big Evs to head to Del Mar in search of back-to-back Breeders’ Cup victories.

The son of Blue Point capped a fine juvenile season when scoring at the end-of-season championships at Santa Anita last November and California is calling once again for the Rutland handler and his star sprinter.

With sights firmly fixed on the Breeders’ Cup since his down-the-field finish in the Nunthorpe, Big Evs is reported to be in flying form as he steps up his preparations, with an away day to Southwell on the cards before he departs for America.

He will be joined Stateside by stablemate Big Mojo, who followed in Big Evs’ footsteps when winning the Molecomb at Goodwood earlier in the season and is also owned by Paul and Rachael Teasdale, with connections excited for their dual trans-Atlantic assault.

“Big Evs is in good order and it will obviously be straight to the Breeders’ Cup now,” said Appleby.

“He’s tuning up nicely and we think he’s in good form, so we’re looking forward to it.

“We’re following the same plan as last year, it will just be a little bit longer between his last run and America this time.

“We’ll probably go and have a gallop at Southwell at some point, we were going to go last week but it was Aidan’s day and didn’t want to get in the way!

“Big Evs is great and Big Mojo will be going over as well which is nice for the owners. I think they both go over there with a good chance.”