GO WEST YOUNG ORACLE

ORACLE WEST, a South African bred, winner of 7 of 27 including the Group 3 Dubai City of Gold last year and 2nd to QUIJANO this year in the same race and 2nd in the Group 1 Sheema Classic, jogs on the trails at Woodbine this morning. He is trained by Michael de Kock, who relocated to England this year.

INTERNATIONAL FIELD AS GOOD (BETTER?) THAN BREEDERS’ CUP FIELD

A projected field of 13 for Sunday’s Canadian International seems to be the more competitive and interesting of the pair of the 2 races...STERWINS out..

On a damp, mild morning, the Europeans tested the Woodbine turf course, the trails and the Polytrack as they prepare for the weekend’s CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL and E.P.TAYLOR STAKES, the top races of the Woodbine season.

The Euro’s have adjusted well.

The International dudes, QUIJANO (Germany), ORACLE WEST (England), IRISH WELLS (France), ASK and HONOLULU (Eng/Ire) all look super.

On the Taylor side, MRS.LINDSAY is a stunner, tall, long, lean, and classy. FOUR SINS is a little wee miss and DARK MISSILE (Nearctic Stakes) is a filly who looks like a big strong colt.

STERWINS, a local 4yo, has been withdrawn from the race as has GENERAL JUMBO, while MARSH SIDE is in.

Two International horses, FRI GUY and SUNRIVER are entered in the Breeders’Cup Turf and both are front runners.

The turf course at Woodbine figures to be at best, good to yielding, with rain expected tomorrow and Friday. It was already a bit on the ‘good’ side this morning.

ORACLE WEST worked half a mile this morning, full of energy under Scott McConnell of Michael De Kock’s barn. The dark bay with a white blaze is a settled fellow who does not seem to get worked up about anything.

The French pair of IRISH WELLS and MRS.LINDSAY could easily win both big events. The former is an imposing dark bay with no white markings. The pair galloped on the Polytrack.

ASK is a smaller bay guy who is very alert and was grazing with zest later this morning. He was recently bought by Pat Fahey from Mrs. John Magnier et al.

Trainer Michael Stoute used to train STREAM OF GOLD, who is expected in from the U.S. with new trainer Kiarn McLaighlin. The Ask boys did not seem to be too worried about that one beating their colt on Sunday.

From IRISH ONLINE.COM

Ask ready for International challenge

Michael Stoute believes Ask’s recent run at Ascot will stand him in good stead for Sunday’s Pattison Canadian International at Woodbine.

The four-year-old, who is due to be ridden by Ryan Moore, has been limited to just two starts this term after suffering an infection during the summer.

He was last seen claiming the Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot in September, beating Aidan O’Brien’s International contender, Honolulu, into third.

“It was a tougher Group Three than usual,” said Stoute.

“He did it well. I was very pleased with him. He was impressive.

“He’s a quality horse and he’s progressed very well,” he told www.woodbineentertaiment.com.

Stoute will be bidding for a second Canadian International success after sending Singspiel to land the mile-and-a-half feature in 1996.

PROBABLE FIELD for SUNDAY'S INTERNATIONAL (horse, owner, trainer,jock)

Ask/Patrick Fahey/Sir Michael Stoute/Ryan Moore
Cloudy's Knight/SJ Stables LLC/Frank Kirby/Ramsey Zimmerman
Fri Guy/Zayat Stables LLC/Dale Romans/John Velazquez
Honolulu/D. Smith, Michael Tabor & Mrs. J. Magnier/Aidan O'Brien/Mick
Kinane
Irish Wells/Baron Van Dalfsen/Francois Rohaut/Olivier Peslier
Linda's Lad/Sean Mulryan/Eddie Kenneally/Corey Lanerie
Marsh Side/Robert Evans/Michael Dickinson/Emma-Jayne Wilson
Oracle West/Kenny Geemooi/Michael de Kock/John Murtagh
Quijano/Stiftung Gestut Fahrhof/Peter Schiergen/Andrasch Starke
Sky Conqueror/William Sorokolit/Darwin Banach/Javier Castellano
Stream Of Gold/Zabeel/Kiaran McLaughlin/Eddie Castro
Sunriver/Aaron and Marie Jones/Todd Pletcher/Garrett Gomez
Windward Islands/Sam-Son Farm/Mark Frostad/Todd Kabel

FEW CANADIANS IN BREEDERS' CUP

Only 3 local horses have been entered in Breeders' Cup races and a couple of Canadian-bred- American based runners fill out 144 entries for the 11 Cup races later in less than 2 weeks at Monmouth Park.

BEAR NOW (Distaff), Clearly Foxy (Juv Fillies Dirt) and Arravale (F& M turf) all figure to be longshots in their respective races. The former is Canadian owned, trained and ridden - Danny Dion, Reade Baker and Jerry Baird.

WOODBINE TONIGHT

FIVE jockeys are absent for the first few days of this week - all on suspensions including EMILE RAMSAMMY, EURICO ROSA DA SILVA and CHANTAL SUTHERLAND...

Get your picks in for THE SCORE'S 1-2-3 contest for the Woodbine races tonight!!!

**Come and listen to trainer DARWIN BANACH and jockey JERRY BAIRD at a free seminar at Woodbine on Saturday morning at 11 a.m.