COLM O’DONOGHUE will be in the $2 million (€1.4 million) hot seat on board Joshua Tree when the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt lines up for the Pattisson Canadian International at Woodbine on Saturday night.
Last year’s Royal Lodge winner only returned to action this season in August’s Great Voltigeur at York when third to Rewilding and subsequently disappointed in the Doncaster St Leger when fifth to Arctic Cosmos.
However, O’Brien has decided to try to emulate his 2002 Canadian International success with Ballingarry and send Joshua Tree to Toronto with O’Donoghue riding.
Other European possibles for the feature are the course and distance winner Redwood from the Barry Hills yard and the French horse Chinchon, who was a Grade One winner in the USA earlier this year.
Winchester, a multiple Grade One winner in the USA, is another possible traveller to Woodbine for this weekend’s race which guarantees entry for the winner into next month’s prestigious Breeders’ Cup turf race.
