Wigmore Hall Repeats in Northern Dancer

Mark Hawtin’s Wigmore Hall was full of energy down the lane to take the $500,000, Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf, presented by VTech, Sunday at Woodbine, for the second consecutive year.

Wigmore Hall, a son of High Chaparral, outdueled a game Al Khali, third in last year’s race, to post a neck victory (the same margin in his 2011 triumph), timed in 2:28.28 for the mile and one-half distance over a ‘good’ E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Al Khali was one-length ahead of third-place Forte Dei Marmi.

Wigmore Hall, the five-year-old Michael Bell trainee, with Jamie Spencer in the irons, notched his seventh score in his 27th lifetime start, the bay’s first win since last year’s Northern Dancer.

“He’s one of my favourites,” praised Spencer, of the Irish-bred gelding. “He tries really hard.”

It was a nice comeback for Spencer, who lost a winning mount aboard Barefoot Lady in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes earlier in the card when he could not ‘make’ 113 pounds asked of him. Davy Moran rode the Irish-bred to victory.

It was Celtic Conviction and Irish Mission, the Woodbine Oaks and Breeders’ Stakes victress, who set early fractions of :24.85 and :50.15, while Wigmore Hall was near the back of the eight-horse field, patiently held by Spencer.

When the field turned for home, Spencer and Wigmore Hall engaged the leaders, improving from fourth after one and one quarter miles, to second at the stretch, commencing his battle with Al Khali right to the wire.

“He loves Canada, especially,” said assistant trainer Gillian Dolman. “He’s not so great on the soft turf, but he loved the conditions here today.”

Wigmore Hall paid $9.40, $4.90 and $3.50, combining with Al Khali ($4.50, $3.10) for a $39.90 exactor. Forte Dei Marmi ($4) completed a $174.60 triactor. A $1 superfecta returned $231.45.