Continuous back to winning ways with Royal Whip strike

Gary Carson
August 17, 2024 4:19 pm

Last season’s St Leger winner made light of a drop in distance at the Curragh.

Continuous handled the drop to 10 furlongs with aplomb to win the Shoda Market Cafe Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh, as Aidan O’Brien claimed all three Pattern races on the card.

Last season’s St Leger winner had only been seen once this term, when fifth in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot behind Isle Of Jura.

He showed he was no back number over middle distances when fifth in the Arc after his Leger heroics and having now notched a win over a mile and a quarter, O’Brien has plenty of options.

Sent off the 4-7 favourite, he held off Trustyourinstinct by half a length under Ryan Moore.

Continuous and Ryan Moore return victorious (Niall Carson/PA)

O’Brien said: “We’re delighted with him and he has loads of options now.

“He can go to the Irish Champion, he can go to the (Irish) Leger. He could have a run in the Irish Champion with a view to going to the Arc after it.

“He’s a very versatile horse, a great horse to have.”

When asked if the Long Distance Cup at Ascot could be a possibility, he added: “100 per cent. He can do next year, he can do a Japan Cup. He has so many options.

“Ryan decided to take a lead with him today, he could have popped out and went all the way himself. It was lovely for him.

“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 a classy horse. He’s genuine and his head is always down.”

🚀 Relentless
Grosvenor Square bolts up in the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger Trial Stakes for team Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/J8gFLXufLv
— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) August 17, 2024

Grosvenor Square turned the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger Trial Stakes into an absolute procession.

Moore bounced him into an early lead and by halfway the rest had a mountain to climb.

In the home straight, the 1-2 favourite just pulled further and further clear, winning by a yawning 20 lengths. County Hurdle winner Absurde never featured and finished a distant fourth of five runners.

Paddy Power cut Grosvenor Square to 8-1 from 20s for the St Leger at Doncaster.

O’Brien said: “He has serious stamina when he gets into a rhythm. He’s an exciting horse.

“It’s a quandary whether you follow him or don’t follow him.

“I said to Ryan ‘was he finished at the line?’ – and he said he wasn’t, that he galloped through the line.

“It’s very hard not to go to Doncaster, we’ll see what the lads want to do but it’s three-year-olds. He’s so uncomplicated, you go out there and let him go.

“He handles soft ground as well.”

Aidan O'Brien (left) and Ryan Moore discuss Treasure Isle's win — Aidan O’Brien (left) and Ryan Moore discuss Treasure Isle’s win (Niall Carson/PA)

Treasure Isle took full advantage of a drop in class to win the Listed Qatar Racing And Equestrian Club Irish EBF Juvenile Sprint Stakes.

Not disgraced when fourth behind subsequent Phoenix Stakes winner Babouche in a Group Three last time out, the 9-4 chance always looked in control for Moore.

O’Brien’s juvenile drew clear with Jessica Harrington’s Saratoga Special, who was having just her second run, but the Ballydoyle runner had half a length to spare on crossing the line.

“We’re very happy with him, he’s a fast horse and we learned that the last day,” said O’Brien.

“57 seconds is very unusual up here for a two-year-old race. Ryan said the Flying Childers, he said he’s very quick, but he will get further too.

“He’s a hardy, fast horse.”