Trainer Charlie Appleby holds his trophy after his horse Adayar won the Epsom Derby during the Derby horse race meeting at Epsom racecourse, near London, England, Saturday, June 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Ian Walton

TORONTO — It's taken two years, but Nations Pride and trainer Charlie Appleby can finally defend their $750,000 Canadian International crown.

The Irish-bred horse won the 2023 International at Woodbine Racetrack. But last year's race wasn't held due to "logistical challenges" associated with cargo flights required to transport European horses to North America.

Nations Pride will top the 10-horse field Saturday in the 1 1/2-mile Grade 1 race that will be run on Woodbine's inner turf course.

The six-year-old comes in following a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Dancer Stakes turf event Aug. 9 at Saratoga. Nations Pride has 11 wins from 23 career starts and posted 17 top-three finishes (second twice, third twice) for over $3.7 million in earnings.

Since capturing the International, Nations Pride has posted two wins, a second- and third-place finish from nine starts. The victories, both in turf races, came in last year's Grade 1 Arlington Million and the Grade 2 Singspiel Stakes in March at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates.

“We came here confident that he was where he needed to be to win this race,” Appleby said of the Singspiel success. “He had valid excuses for his last two defeats as he’s only ever run twice right-handed around Bahrain and been beaten twice.

"Then at Gulfstream (Pegasus World Cup Turf in January), he had a torrid shipping, it took a long time to get there and conditions weren't really suitable.”

Appleby and owner Godolphin return to Woodbine after winning last month's $1-million Woodbine Mile with Notable Speech. The horse finished the mile on a firm turf in 1:35.33 ahead of My Boy Prince and Gas Me Up.

Notable Speech gave Godolphin, Appleby and jockey William Buick their third Mile win in four years.

And in 2021, Appleby and Godolpin captured the International when Walton Street earned a 5 3/4-length victory with heralded jockey Frankie Dettori aboard.

Billy Loughnane will ride Nations Pride on Saturday.

"He has shown huge versatility in both Europe, North America, and Dubai,” said Appleby. “He has a great constitution and is very relaxed which has no doubt contributed to him winning from a mile up to a mile and a half.”

But successfully defending the International title won't be easy as Nations Pride will break from the No. 10 post Saturday.

The field, with post, horse and jockey, includes: 1) Haunted Dream, Rafael Hernandez; 2) My Boy Prince, Pietro Moran; 3) English Actor, Patrick Husbands; 4) Tawny Port, Sahin Civaci; 5) Roscar, Ryan Munger; 6) Tosen Wish, Fraser Aebly; 7) Silawi, Daniel Tudhope; 8) Raptor’s, Javier Castellano; 9) Dancin in Da’nile, Jose Campos; and 9) Nations Pride, Loughnane.

Mark Casse, Canada's top trainer an unprecedented 16 times, will have three horses in the race: My Boy Prince; Tosen Wish; and Raptor’s. Pietro Moran, the apprentice jockey who rode Mansetti to a King's Plate victory in August, will be aboard My Boy Prince.

Irish thoroughbred Joshua Tree is the only three-time winner of the International (2010, 2012, and 2013). The horse was also second in 2011.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 3, 2025.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2025