Dartmouth appears to be well-meant for 2016 Canadian International

Owned by Queen Elizabeth II, Dartmouth will be Her Majesty’s first horse to run at Woodbine, when the British-bred son of Dubawi goes postward in the Grade 1, $1 million Pattison Canadian International, on Sunday.

The talented bay trained over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course on Friday and also schooled beneath the weeping willow trees in Woodbine's walking ring under the watchful eye of John Warren, Her Majesty the Queen’s Bloodstock and Racing Advisor. 

Warren has provided Her Majesty with photos and video of the experience.

"She's been kept well-informed. I sent her a few clips yesterday of all the goings on and she enjoyed seeing the training and the horse schooling," said Warren. "It was great for her to get a feel of what is going on and, of course, she knows the course from having been here four times.

“She's taking a very keen interest,” added Warren. “Tomorrow night it will be a matter of her staying up late enough to watch the event. It is televised at home so she'll be able to watch it.”

Dartmouth enjoyed light training over the turf again here Saturday morning and appears to be well meant for Sunday's International.

"He's done everything asked of him. He's travelled very comfortably," said Warren. "He's vital. He's eaten really well, which is fantastic, and has accepted everything we've thrown at him the past three days.

"He's just got to know the track better and better," continued Warren. "He's been very relaxed. I wondered if he was a bit quiet to start with, but he's just taking it all in. This morning, you could see that he knows what he's doing up that straight. He was on the bridle and wanted to really travel. We couldn't be happier with him."

Woodbine's unique layout boasts a 1 1/2-mile outer turf course with a one-mile Tapeta main track in the centre.  With up to 1800 horses on the grounds at any given time, the main track can often be busy with morning workers.  However, only the horses competing in Sunday's lucrative turf races make their way onto the turf course for training.

Warren believes the layout of the course, with a lengthy stretch run (1,440 feet), will suit Dartmouth.

"It's not dissimilar to courses that he's encountered," said Warren. “More relevant is all the goings on with the workers on the track in the morning with horses training on the inside and the stands looming up in front of him. That's new territory for him as he's never travelled before. He's accepted everything and he has the right mind for this level. He has the mentality for the job."

The four-year-old's experience could come in handy when trying to turn back the three-year-old Idaho, who will be the likely race favourite.

"He has a will to win. If you analyze his races you can see he wants to win," said Warren. "We're thrilled to be here and it's lovely to travel with a horse that has a lot of determination about him. It will be strange if he doesn't run a decent race, as he doesn't know how to run a bad one."

A seven-time winner from 14 starts, Dartmouth won three consecutive starts this year – two Group 3’s and one Group 2 – along with a second and a third. The four-year-old heads into the International off a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup on September 17.  William Buick will ride.

IDAHO, BEST IN THE WORLD IN FINE FETTLE

Aidan O'Brien will be represented in both the Pattison Canadian International and E.P. Taylor Stakes on Sunday with Idaho going in the 1 1/2-mile turf classic and Best In The World in the 1 1/4-mile test for fillies and mares.

Idaho, a three-year-old Galileo colt, is a full brother to the well-regarded Group 1 winner Highland Reel.  He captured the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York on August 17 and went into the Group 1 St. Leger at Doncaster as the race favourite only to stumble and unseat rider Seamie Heffernan.

"It looked like he clipped heels, but he didn't. I think the horse thought he was going to clip, took a false step, and just unseated the rider. There were no ill effects whatsoever," said Kiaran Murphy, assistant to O'Brien, who has travelled to Canada to oversee the final preparations ahead of Sunday's lucrative card. 

Murphy is particularly impressed with the quality of the E.P. Taylor field which boasts 13 fillies and mares.

"It's a good race, there's nothing soft here," said Murphy. "I have plenty of respect for the opposition in this field."

Both O'Brien horses went out to Woodbine's Tapeta main track to train this morning.

Best In The World, a full sister to Arc winner Found, has turned heads since arriving in Canada. Found finished second to Almanzor early Saturday morning in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

"She's the same type of filly in physique as Found," noted Murphy of Best In The World. "She's just recently won a Group 3 race and she's a very decent filly."

The O'Brien runners arrived at Woodbine on Wednesday and Murphy is pleased with how the duo is training into their events.  The robust Idaho, in particular, would appear to be improving with each day.

"If he was asleep I'd be more worried. He gets fired up," said Murphy. "The first day everything is brand new so obviously he's going to be a bit starry eyed and looking at things. He was better the second day and today he was very good. We're very happy with him. He's doing very well."

DANISH DYNAFORMER HOPING FOR FIRM TURF ON SUNDAY

Charles Fipke’s Danish Dynaformer will represent Canada’s local chance in Sunday’s Pattison Canadian International. 

The four-year-old Dynaformer bay, bred in Ontario by his owner, captured the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes here on July 3 and has since finished off-the-board when fifth in the Grade 1 Arlington Million and fifth, last time out, in Woodbine’s Grade 1 Northern Dancer over ‘good’ turf.

“He needs a firm turf and a good honest pace, and I don’t think he’s going to get either in there to be honest,” said Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield.

Attfield believes the effort in the 1 ¼-mile Arlington Million was much better than it may appear on paper.

“That wasn’t really firm turf either,” said Attfield of the Million effort when defeated less than two lengths. “He stumbled at the break and ended up at the back. He made quite a good run and he didn’t have a real clear path doing it. He wasn’t beaten far and it was a little shorter than he likes.

“He’s more effective if the ground is really firm. At this time of year it’s never going to be that hard, rattling firm, but he can really explode for a quarter of a mile if he gets switched off early,” continued Attfield. “On a ‘good’ turf, he’ll come, but he doesn’t have that same kick.”

Joel Rosario will be aboard for the first time.

Source: Woodbine Communications Office