Ziyad, Desert Encounter stand out in Canadian International

Trainer David Simcock has made a habit of shipping horses from Europe to snatch victories in major North American stakes races, and on Saturday he’ll stand a strong chance to nab the $800,000 Canadian International (G1) at Woodbine with #4 Desert Encounter.

The 7-year-old son of Hailing shipped in and won the 2018 Canadian International by a length, one of six rich North American stakes races Simcock has claimed from 20 starters since 2011.

Desert Encounter was an 8-1 shot when he unleashed a powerful rally at Woodbine last year, but he could be favored this time around after three straight group 3 victories during the summer in England. On September 21 he was a confident winner of the 1 3/8-mile Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup (G3) at Newbury.

But Desert Encounter will face a formidable rival in the Canadian International #1 Ziyad, a 4-year-old son of Rock of Gibraltar, is shipping in from France, where he has demonstrated a high level of form. Two starts back he just missed in the 1 1/2-mile Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1), where he came up less than a neck short against two-time group 1 winner Coronet. Ziyad was also a deceptively dominant winner over Soft Light in the 1 9/16-mile Grand Prix de Deauville (G2) on August 25, a bit of form that received a boost when Soft Light returned to finish sixth in the prestigious Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1).

Ziyad’s main weapon is tactical speed, and it should come in handy against a small field in the Canadian International. Ziyad can be positioned on or near the lead, which gives him a tactical advantage over the stretch-running Desert Encounter.

The remaining entrants are capable sorts, but perhaps a cut below Desert Encounter and Ziyad. #2 Pivoine finished second in the Legacy Cup and has some tactical speed, though he didn’t show it when fifth in the August 10 Arlington Million (G1), his first trip to North America. #5 Alounak is a group 3 winner in Germany, but rates several pounds below the two favorites in terms of Racing Post Ratings. The two American hopefuls, #3 Nessy and #6 Pumpkin Rumble, are both graded stakes winners, but they’ve repeatedly come up short against higher-class competition and are pace-dependent late runners.

Let’s box Ziyad and Desert Encounter in the exacta, then play them in the first two slots of a trifecta, while using Pivoine and Nessy underneath.

$5 exacta box: 1,4 ($10) $5 trifecta: 1,4 with 1,4 with 2,3 ($20)

Good luck!