O'Brien's magnificent seven

An Irish trainer denies a fairy-tale finish for either Frankie Dettori or The King, while husband and wife ride a win each

-  MARCUS ARMYTAGE

THERE were a couple of possible scenarios in the 247th running of the Betfred St Leger that might have got racing off the back pages; Desert Hero providing a first royal Classic winner since Dunfermline won the race in 1977 and sealing The King and Queen’s first season with the royal silks was one, while Arrest providing Frankie Dettori a seventh and final win was another.

However, as he has done so often in the past, Aidan O’Brien introduced a bit of reality to the dreamers and won the St Leger for a seventh time when Continuous, an improving colt who might yet go well in the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe a week on Sunday, proved too classy for both rivals and fairy-tales. 

He came home a decisive two-and-three-quarter length winner over Arrest, the only colt to have contested both the Derby and St Leger this year, with Desert Hero, without ever having looked a likely winner, a further half-length away in a gallant third.

Ballydoyle has had three top-class three-year-old colts this year; the miler and unexpected star Paddington, the Derby winner Auguste Rodin and, joining the Classic party, Continuous.

Japan has been a good source of new blood for Coolmore. Auguste Rodin is by the Japanese super-sire Deep Impact, while Saturday’s hero (or anti-hero, depending your stance) is by another Japanese stallion, Heart’s Cry, the only horse to lower Deep Impact’s colours in Japan in the 2005 Arima Kinen over an extended mile and a half.

Ryan Moore, a regular in Japan, was therefore confident Continuous would stay, and so it proved. Using his turn of foot, Moore brought him from almost last turning in to lead two out.