The Queen’s Dartmouth has run second in the prestigious Canadian International, coming close to giving the monarch a rare Group One victory overseas. The race was won by the 12-1 shot Erupt, trained in France, who had finished behind Dartmouth at Ascot in July.
Dartmouth was one of the slowest from the stalls as the-mile-and-a-half contest began on Sunday evening but was immediately urged forward by William Buick, riding him for the first time. That proved an astute move as the early pace was sustainable and several horses held up at the rear in the early stages, including the Ryan Moore-ridden Idaho, failed to get involved later.
Dartmouth tracked the early leader, World Approval, and must have provoked excitement among his connections when moving to the fore at the top of the straight. But his tenure there was brief as Erupt swept by under Stéphane Pasquier, holding on to win by a comfortable length.
Dartmouth ran on well to be second ahead of the US-trained Wake Forest and The Pizza Man. Idaho, representing the Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, was fifth. This is the seventh consecutive year that the International has been won by a European raider, Francis-Henri Graffard being the successful trainer this time.
It has been a productive year for Dartmouth, who began with successes in two Group Threes and a Group Two. He was a respectable third in Ascot’s King George on his first attempt at the highest level and his showing in Canada suggests he may be able to find an opportunity in a Group One. He is now quoted at 14-1 for the Breeders’ Cup Turf in California on 5 November.
