English invader Desert Encounter rallies to win Canadian International

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Desert Encounter benefited from a brilliant ride by Andrea Atzeni to upset another English invader, the favored Thundering Blue, in the Grade 1, $812,600 Canadian International at Woodbine on Saturday.

Desert Encounter ($18.20) was angled to the rail from post 10 after the start of the 1 1/12-mile marathon. Bandua proceeded to set a lively pace, with Tiz a Slam pressing him throughout.

Thundering Blue also saved ground under the far turn, where he sought room, and Desert Encounter was angled wide for the stretch shortly thereafter. Thundering Blue hit the front near the eighth pole after finding a split, but Desert Encounter caught him late to win by a length, in a time of 2:28.88 over the good ground.

Focus Group finished third, and Tiz a Slam faded to fourth. Spring Quality, Markitoff, Johnny Bear, Bandua, English Illusion, Khan, and Funtastic completed the order of finish in the 81st running of the International.

“He’s a horse that needs to be ridden cold, really,” Atzeni said. “You can’t put him in the race too early. The main thing for him is to come out of the stalls and get him to relax. I followed Thunder Blue all the way around. I thought he was the horse to beat. Turning into the stretch, I pulled him out into the middle of the track, and he won quite comfortably.”

Philip Robinson the racing manager for owner Abdulla Al Mansoori, said trainer David Simcock had pointed Desert Encounter to the International. Simcock won two Grade 1’s here on the same day in 2014, the Woodbine Mile with Trade Storm, and the Northern Dancer Turf with Sheikhzayeroad.

“David Simcock has been here on a few occasions,” Robinson explained. “He loves it. I think he’s had this race in mind for a long time for this horse. He said that this is the race for him. And he set out his program throughout the whole season to [prepare] him to come here. It worked out. He got it dead right.”

Robinson said Desert Encounter would likely embark on a campaign in Dubai this winter. The 6-year-old gelded son of Halling earned $480,000.