By Tom Frary
Getting back on the winning trail in the G3 Royal Whip Stakes at The Curragh on Saturday, Ballydoyle's G1 St Leger hero Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}–Fluff {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) served notice that he is ready for some serious autumn action with options open. Badly needing his reintroduction when fifth in a strong renewal of Royal Ascot's G2 Hardwicke Stakes in June, the 4-7 favourite shadowed the leader Trustyourinstinct (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) before edging ahead three out and forging a workmanlike half-length success under Ryan Moore in a fast time.
“Ascot didn't work for him and he could go to the Irish Champion after this, finish in the first four and then go to the Arc and the English Champion on soft ground,” O'Brien said. “He could go for the [Irish] Leger, but we have Kyprios. He can do a Japan Cup. He's a very versatile horse, a great horse to have. He can do next year, he has so many options. He has had a nice easy time and he was always going to be a horse for the backend this year. He could even go two miles, we've never went that far but he could, I'd say. He's an unusual type of horse. He's genuine and classy and his head is always down.”
Pedigree Notes
Continous is the third foal out of Fluff, a full-sister to the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, G2 Debutante Stakes, G3 Silver Flash Stakes and Listed Chesham Stakes-winning champion 2-year-old filly Maybe (Ire) who was also third in the G1 1000 Guineas. She was responsible for the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Racing Post Trophy-winning luminary and sire Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and his G3 Gallinule Stakes-winning full-brother Drumroll (Ire).
The listed-winning second dam Sumora (Ire) (Danehill) also produced another Silver Flash scorer by Galileo in Promise To Be True, who was runner-up in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and third in the G1 Criterium International, while her third progeny by the Coolmore great was Barbados (Ire) who proved a useful stayer when second in the G2 Queen's Vase.
Sumora is kin to the G1 Oaks and G1 Preis der Diana heroine Dancing Rain (Ire) by Danehill's son Danehill Dancer (Ire), who in turn produced the dual Group 2 winner Magic Lily (GB) and the G1 Grand Prix de Paris-placed Jalmoud (GB) both by Galileo's New Approach (Ire). Also connected to the Derby hero and sire Dr Devious (Ire), the G1 Irish Oaks heroine Even So (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen-winning sire Suzuka Phoenix (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), Fluff's unraced 3-year-old filly by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) is named Angelica Tree (Ire), while she also has the 2-year-old colt Light As Air (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and a yearling filly again by the latter sire.
Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
SHODA MARKET CAFE ROYAL WHIP STAKES-G3, €55,000, Curragh, 8-17, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:04.09, gd.
1–CONTINUOUS (JPN), 135, c, 4, by Heart's Cry (Jpn)
1st Dam: Fluff (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sumora (Ire), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Rain Flower (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
O-D Smith, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, Westerberg; B-Wynatt &
Chelston Ireland & Orpendale Bloodstock (JPN); T-Aidan
O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €33,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng,
GSW-Fr, 10-5-1-1, $1,034,704. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Trustyourinstinct (Ire), 135, g, 4, Churchill (Ire)–Gussy Goose
(Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-John P McManus; B-Mrs
Noreen McManus (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €11,000.
3–Caught U Looking (Ire), 125, f, 3, Harzand (Ire)–Wild Mix
(GB), by Mastercraftsman (Ire). (€27,000 Ylg '22 GOAUYR).
O-Anthony F O'Callaghan & Sabina Kelly; B-Kelly Equine
Services (IRE); T-Noel Meade. €5,500.
Margins: HF, 2HF, 1. Odds: 0.57, 4.50, 4.50.
Also Ran: Crypto Force (GB), Bright Stripes (Ire), Villanova Queen (Ire). Scratched: Tarawa (Ire).
CONTINUOUS 💜🤍
Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore complete doubles on the Curragh card as last year's St Leger hero 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 justifies short odds in the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes.@curraghrace | @coolmorestud pic.twitter.com/FRZ0qDjAm1
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 17, 2024
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