Ask Just Denied In International Thriller

Sir Michael Stoute's Ask was just denied in a photo-finish by Cloudy's Knight in the Pattison Canadian International at Woodbine.

Held up through the early stages, Ryan Moore got a great tune out of the Sadler's Wells colt in the straight but was not helped by his mount hanging to his left.

The pair closed with every stride at the end of the mile-and-a-half contest but found the post coming an inch too soon.

Quijano was third for Germany, with the ex-Stoute-trained Stream Of Gold fourth.

Aidan O'Brien's Honolulu was last of all for a long way but made ground late in the day without threatening the principals, eventually finishing eighth.

A downcast Moore said after going down by a nose to the 18-1 winner: 'The ground was too quick for him and he could have done with a quicker pace.'

Mick Kinane said of Honolulu: 'He has been running over longer trips, he struggled over the distance but he ran a good race.'

Last seen winning the Sky Classic at this track in September, Cloudy's Knight is trained in America by Frank Kirby and was ridden by Ramsey Zimmerman, who said: 'He just set up perfectly.

'He broke exactly how I would have wanted him to. He was just off those speed horses, who were crawling. He had a wonderful trip, I couldn't have planned it better.'

But he admitted: 'With the wind I couldn't hear anything ? I thought I was further clear than I was and when I looked up after the post and Ask was in front, I thought I had been beaten.'

Illinois-based Kirby added: 'I was surprised he was able to lay up so close to the pace without running so hard.

'The International was always the plan as long as he ran well in the three races that we had mapped out for him beforehand.'

Elsewhere on the card, Johnny Murtagh was at his brilliant best as he got French raider Mrs Lindsay home in a thrilling E P Taylor Stakes.

The Prix Vermeille winner travelled sweetly in third behind Essential Edge and John Oxx's Four Sins and looked the obvious danger straightening for home.

But Sealy Hill came with a tremendous burst at the quarter-mile pole and took a couple of lengths out of Mrs Lindsay, who was at the same time squeezed between the new leader and Essential Edge.

Murtagh was not for panicking, however, and he drove the Francois Rohaut-trained filly back up the far rail to run out a rather cosy winner in the end.

Returned the 7-5 favourite, Mrs Lindsay scored by half a length from Sealy Hill in track-record time, with Barancella in third.

Murtagh, fresh from a big-race double at Newmarket on Saturday, said: 'The race was run to suit her.

'She was always travelling well, but she took a few strides to quicken when Sealy Hill went by her.

'She dug deep in the last furlong and in the end won quite comfortably. She's a very special, genuine filly.'

Four Sins was eighth home and Kinane said: 'She had a lovely run, but she was struggling turning for home. She has had a long season.'

(C) PA Sport