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.
This story is from the September 21, 2023 edition of Horse & Hound.
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This story is from the September 21, 2023 edition of Horse & Hound.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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