The American, on board his Rio 2016 mount HH Azur, came out on top after a five-rider jump-off in the Canadian city to win the event for the fourth time in a row.

As the only competitor to negotiate the jump-off fault free he was assured of victory with his time of 36.02sec immaterial. 

Kent Farrington, winner of the last leg of the North American League in Lexington last Saturday (November 5), came second for the US on board Creedance.

He finished the jump-off in 35.19 but collected four penalties to finish behind Ward, with both men members of the American line-up which won Olympic team jumping silver medal at Rio 2016. 

Britain's Nick Skelton, the individual jumping gold medallist at Rio 2016, was third after also collecting four penalties on board Big Star, in a time of 37.26.

"The course actually came very fast at you and I think that’s why a lot of the rails went down," said Ward, a team jumping Olympic champion at both Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

Ward added: "The jumps were quite careful.

"It wasn’t a huge course and there wasn’t a whole lot of time in between jumps.

"Last week in Kentucky, Kent laid down such an incredible round so I was trying to catch him.

"But when you’re pressing that hard often a mistake happens and it did: Kent and Nick both had a fence down today so it took a lot of that pressure off. 

"This venue has been very good to me so it’s like coming home. 

"When you have a horse like Azur you just try and stay out of her way, and she’s normally giving a great performance. 

"Every once in a while, I don’t mess it up."

Following the event, Farrington has retained his lead in the Eastern Sub-League standings, where he boasts 72 points.

American Audrey Coulter is second on 45 with Ward now third on 44. 

The next leg is due to take place in Wellington in Florida between February 1 and 5 next year.