'She’s got the biggest spot in my heart' - meet the star Canadian mare gunning for Grade 1 glory in the E P Taylor

Woodbine trainer Kevin Attard is hopeful Canada's sweetheart Moira can secure her first Grade 1 in Sunday's E P Taylor Stakes (9.31). 

The filly won the Woodbine Oaks and beat the colts in one of Canada's most prestigious races, the Queen's Plate, as a three-year-old and bounced back to form with a dominant success in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes last time, when she had the reopposing Skims and Fev Rover in behind.

"Any time she runs it’s exciting," Attard said. "She has a big crowd following and for me it’s an important goal to see if we can get her to win a Grade 1. She ran such a great race last time out and we’re hoping she can duplicate that performance. 

"She's going to have to, to be competitive but I’m very happy with her. She’s training well and coming into the race in good order. She has a lot of character and personality when she goes over the races you have to be tied on and get ready because she’s like a ticking time bomb then.

"She’s going to be the best horse I’ve been associated with. I’ve won Grade 1s with a couple of other horses but she gave me my first Queen’s Plate, she set the track record that day and won the Oaks that same season, she’s horse of the year, she’s got the biggest spot in my heart."

'Charlie Appleby coming over adds a bit of pressure'

Attard is respectful of the opposition, which includes the Charlie Appleby-trained With The Moonlight, but is confident Moira has more to offer and already has one eye on the Breeders' Cup again.

"When you see Charlie Appleby coming here you know you’ve got to be tied on because they don’t come for no reason and it adds a bit of pressure," he said. "But in my view she’s a great horse and she hasn’t disappointed me. We go out there with a lot of confidence every time she runs.

"I definitely think there’s more to come, she’s a very special horse and we’re hoping for a good performance and another opportunity at the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. 

"People follow her along and want to know where she’s running next. Every time she works it comes up on social media. People comment and direct message me about her. The fact she’s a filly that won the Queen’s Plate beating the boys it holds a lot of clout for racing fans."

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