Willie McCreery will have local knowledge on his side when the Curragh trainer’s star filly Devonshire tackles Sunday night’s $500,000 EP Taylor Stakes at Woodbine in Toronto.
Patrick Husbands, five-times leading jockey at Woodbine, teams up with the Godolphin-owned Devonshire for the first time in a race which sees David Wachman’s Ribblesdale winner Curvy installed as low as 5-2 favourite in some betting lists.
Curvy failed to fire on soft ground in the Flower Bowl at Belmont a couple of weeks ago but is reunited with Ryan Moore for a race which is due off at 9.57pm Irish time.
Devonshire will have first-time lasix on her first North American start after winning a Listed race on testing ground at Listowel last month. It is 20 years since the sole previous Irish trained EP Taylor winner, John Oxx’s Timarida. There is a strong European challenge among the dozen runners including Roger Varian’s Talmada and Nakuti from Sylvester Kirk’s stable.
Hat-trick
At 10.42pm Irish time, Moore will attempt a hat-trick of victories in the $1 million Canadian International when teaming up with Sir Michael Stoute’s Cannock Chase. Moore won the race last year on Stoute’s Hillstar and in 2013 on board Joshua Tree.
Luca Cumani’s Group One winner Second Step and Shekhzayed are also among the overseas challenge for the mile and a half event.
Barry Geraghty travels to New Jersey today to ride Eshtiaal in America’s richest steeplechase, the $300,000 American Grand National, at Far Hills. Eshtiaal faces eight opponents, including Nicky Henderson’s Hunt Ball, and Geraghty will aim to emulate his brother Ross who won the race in 2009.
“Eshtiaal is a nicely-rated horse from the flat and he’d have an each-way chance,” Elliott said.
