Little Big Bear produced a devastating performance to give trainer Aidan O'Brien his 17th race win in the Aug. 6 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (G1) at the Curragh.
The son of No Nay Never surged clear under Ryan Moore to score by seven lengths to record a fourth win in a row, earning himself quotes of 5-1 for next year's Qipco Two Thousand Guineas (G1) with Paddy Power and Betfair.
Little Big Bear was a well-backed winner of the Windsor Castle Stakes at Ascot before successfully stepping up in a grade with a win at the Curragh last month in the Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey (G3).
However, this was the 13-8 shot's first test in top-level company, and he blew away his rivals in what was billed as the hottest juvenile race of the season so far.
"That was mightily impressive!"
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2022
An absolutely spectacular display from Little Big Bear 🐻 in the @keeneland Phoenix Stakes @curraghrace - with Bradsell only fourth@coolmorestud | @Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/43xQdmXjqJ
Persian Force, who won a group 2 at Newmarket last time out, was best of the rest, with Johnny Murtagh's Shartash in third.
Bradsell and Hollie Doyle, winners of the Coventry Stakes (G2) at Ascot, never looked comfortable in the race after missing the break and came home fourth.
Little Big Bear is a short as 4-1 with Bet365 for the 2023 Two Thousand Guineas, although O'Brien acknowledged a host of potential engagements could await the exciting colt.
"He looks a very special horse," said the winning trainer to Racing TV. "We always thought from day one that he was something different. He's big, fast, strong, and uncomplicated.
"It was a very good race. The best of the 2-year-olds were there. Ryan (Moore) was very complimentary about him, and there's not too many horses Ryan is complimentary of."
O'Brien, who pulled Blackbeard out of the €300,000 sprint early on Saturday morning for the same connections, said: "Little Big Bear has got a lot of options. The lads can decide what they want to do.
"He can go to the Prix Morny (G1), the Nunthorpe (G1), I don't think he's short of pace in any way, and he's strong and mature.
"He could go to the Middle Park (G1) or the Dewhurst (G1). He'll have a week or ten days doing very little. You wouldn't imagine seven (furlongs) would be any problem."
It was the second time Moore had partnered an O'Brien horse to win the Phoenix after Sioux Nation's win in 2017.
The rider said: "He couldn't have been more impressive than what he was. He's done everything beautifully today as he did in the Anglesey last time.
"The horses that came here looked like they had good form in the book—the Coventry winner, the July Stakes winner, and the horse of Johnny's (Murtagh) who won here. It looked a strong race, but he was just a different level."
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