Collier Hill denies Deputy in Canadian International

Venerable eight-year-old COLLIER HILL (GB) (Dr. Devious [Ire]), a grand

warrior on the international scene, had to call on his considerable reserves of

courage to grind out victory by a nose in Sunday's $1,779,378

Canadian

International S. (Can-G1), staged in testing conditions at Woodbine. With

regular pilot Dean McKeown aboard, the Alan Swinbank charge grimly repelled the

late bid of Go Deputy (Deputy Minister) in a final time of 2:37 1/5 on the soft

turf, becoming the oldest winner in the 69-year history of the prestigious

contest.

In the opening stages, Collier Hill settled contentedly in second as the

pacesetting Last Answer (Langfuhr) enjoyed a daylight advantage through

fractions of :26 4/5, :52 4/5, 1:19 and 1:45 4/5. On the far turn, McKeown set

his mount down for the drive, and he drew to within a head of the leader after 1

1/4 miles in 2:12 1/5. Knuckling down to his task in the stretch, Collier Hill

took command and dourly kept on as his rivals toiled on the ground.

The Todd Pletcher-trained Go Deputy found his best stride late, bursting from

the pack and threatening to sail past the veteran. Once challenged, however,

Collier Hill dug down deep and refused to let his rival pass.

"This horse is such a battler," McKeown said. "He has been all over the

world. We have been to Dubai, Germany, Sweden, and he has won everywhere. And an

eight-year-old -- he is just an incredible horse, very, very talented horse,

that doesn't get the recognition that he deserves.

"In an ideal world," the rider continued, "he wants the ground quicker, but

we don't live in an ideal world. He has won on very heavy tracks, when he was a

jump horse. He started off his career as a jumper hurdles (horse). He just got

better and better. He is just a pleasure to do anything with."

"It was a great race," Swinbank said via telephone from his base in North

Yorkshire, England. "I could see as they turned into the straight, I thought we

had every chance. He was headed about 50 meters out, and he got back to him

again. He's a very, very brave horse."

John Velazquez aboard Go Deputy had a similar post-race reaction.

"Down the lane, I asked him, and he ran, and I actually thought I was going

to go by the other horse, but the other horse beat us," Velazquez said.

The top two drew 3 1/2 lengths clear of local hope Sky Conqueror (Sky

Classic), who had to alter course inside the final furlong but finished

determinedly for third. English invader Blue Monday (GB) (Darshaan) checked in a

one-paced fourth another half-length back, trailed by Meteor Storm (GB) (Bigstone

[Ire]), Last Answer, The Last Drop (Ire) (Galileo [Ire]), nearly 5-2 favorite

Kastoria (Ire) (Selkirk), Jambalaya (Langfuhr) and defending champion Relaxed

Gesture (Ire) (Indian Ridge).

Dispatched as the sixth choice in the wagering at 10-1, the winner provided

payouts of $23.50, $9.70 and $5.70. Go Deputy returned $5 and $3.50 as the 7-2

second selection, while the 8-1 Sky Conqueror gave back $5.10 to show. The

exactor was worth $143.40, the triactor $616.20 and the 8-7-1-3 superfecta ($1)

$2,074.30.

Collier Hill's scorecard now reads 44-14-10-6 with a bankroll to the tune of

$3,022,149. The chestnut gelding ranked as Ireland's co-highweight older horse

at 14 furlongs and beyond in 2005. After this Woodbine triumph, he has captured

six stakes in five countries, including victories in the 2005 Irish St Leger

(Ire-G1) and Gerling-Preis (Ger-G2). He has also placed in seven stakes, most

notably the past two editions of the Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1). Collier Hill

was exiting a nine-length romp in the Stockholm Cup International (Swe-G3), his

second victory in that event.

Bred in Great Britain by George Strawbridge, Collier Hill was sold for

$180,000 at last year's Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale and now

sports the colors of R. D. Hall, J. D. Abell and R. Crowe. Out of the

winning Polish Precedent mare Polar Queen, his third dam is 1975 Coronation S.

(Eng-G2) queen Roussalka (GB) (Habitat), who in turn produced multiple stakes

victress and Group 1-placed Gayane (GB) (Nureyev), Group 2 heroine Ristna (GB)

(Kris) and Group 3 winner Shahid (GB) (Green Desert). This is the family of

champion Oh So Sharp (Ire) (Kris), who captured the 1985 One Thousand Guineas

(Eng-G1), Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1) and St Leger (Eng-G1) to garner the Fillies'

Triple Crown.

Swinbank mentioned that more travel was in Collier Hill's future.

"It's too early to say where he'll go," the trainer said. "If he didn't run

again until next year, it wouldn't bother us really. Let's see how he comes out

of it. If he's fit to go to Hong Kong (in December), we'll have a go. If he's

not, we'll go back to Dubai next year."