'I thought he'd got us' - Nations Pride prevails as James Doyle nearly pulls off Canadian International upset

James Doyle's attempt to snare the Grade 1 Canadian International aboard Royal Champion was only foiled in the final half furlong as 2-5 favourite Nations Pride charged down Woodbine's windy straight.

Doyle, who is retained by Nations Pride's owners Godolphin as second rider and partnered their colt to win at Meydan last year, was drawn widest aboard the Roger Varian-trained Wolferton Stakes winner, but took the initiative out of the gates and soon established a clear lead.

William Buick was alive to his tactics and settled Nations Pride in second position down the back straight, with Britain's two representatives dominating the 1m2f contest from an early stage. It was the first time the race had been run over the trip since 1986 in a bid to make it more universally attractive.

It looked as though victory would go to the less fancied of the pair as Royal Champion travelled sweetly off the bend while Nations Pride was scrubbed along, but the favourite closed relentlessly and eventually pulled away to win by two and a quarter lengths.

It was a third top-level success for the well-travelled colt, who took last year's Saratoga Derby and the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis in July, although even his trainer Charlie Appleby admitted there was a stage where he feared the race had slipped away from him.

“James knows his fractions," he said after winning the contest for a second time, having struck with Walton Street when it was last run in 2021.

"If there was one person I wouldn’t have been quite so comfortable with it was him on the front end, he’s dangerous out there. Turning in, I thought he’d got us. To be fair to William, he had confidence in the horse.

“We’ll stick with plan A, we won’t go to the Breeders' Cup as we don’t think he stretches out that mile and a half, so we’ll take him to Bahrain for the Bahrain International Trophy and then contemplate if Hong Kong might suit him.”

Buick, who was denied a Grade 1 double when With The Moonlight failed to reel in Fev Rover in the EP Taylor Stakes earlier on in the card, praised his mount's versatility as conditions turned yielding by spurts of midweek rain.

He said: “The track was a bit of a concern, but he really showed how versatile he is. He's a high-class horse. I’ve ridden in the Canadian International a few times before and I’ve been placed a few times so it’s great to win it. I knew with Nations Pride I had a pretty good horse so it’s just about getting everything right."

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