Ryan Moore seeks a fourth Canadian International win in a row

Ryan Moore will pursue a fourth Pattison Canadian International victory in a row on board the Aidan O'Brien trained Idaho in Toronto on Sunday night.

The English jockey will have to overcome some familiar opposition too as lining up alongside the Irish three-year-old in Woodbine’s $1 million feature is the Michael Stoute-trained Darmouth who is owned by The Queen.

Also in the race, which is due off at 10.40, will be the German trained Protectionist on whom Moore won the Melbourne Cup two years ago.

Moore won the race for Stoute last year on Cannock Chase and in 2014 aboard Hillstar. In 2013 he scored on Joshua Tree who was completing a hat-trick of wins in the race. The first of them, in 2010, was when he was trained by O’Brien.

Group One ambitions

The Irish trainer’s Group One ambitions are global this weekend, including in Melbourne on Saturday morning where the Colm O’Donoghue ridden Sir Isaac Newtown lines up in the Caulfield Cup. And in addition to Idaho, the Ballydoyle filly Best In The World also lines up in the EP Taylor Stakes at Woodbine.

Moore won the $500,000 10-furlong event a year ago on David Wachman’s Curvy and Best In The World, runner up to Shamreen in the Blandford Stakes last month, will take on a dozen opponents. Her race is off at 9.56 on Sunday.

Ruby Walsh will be at Cork for three rides on Sunday after trying to add to his unparalleled Grand National collection with the American version in Far Hills, Jersey on Saturday.

Walsh is due to ride the ex-Irish trained Rawnaq, winner of a big race in Tennessee last May when he had the Willie Mullins pair, Shaneshill and Nichols Canyon behind him. Rawnaq is an odds on favourite in some ante-post betting.

At home Black Hawk War can continue his rapid progress in Cork’s Navigation Stakes on Saturday while there are two other Listed contests at Naas on Sunday. Rose de Pierre is also unbeaten and can make it four in a row in the Garnet Stakes.