The St Leger, racing's oldest Classic, saw Continuous secure victory at Doncaster on Saturday, denying the crowd a fairytale result as Desert Hero, owned by the King and Queen, finished third. The 3-1 second-favourite, ridden by Ryan Moore and trained by Aidan O'Brien, powered to a clear lead with an impressive burst of speed a quarter of a mile from home, holding off Arrest and Frankie Dettori by nearly three lengths.
Desert Hero, in the royal colours, could only manage third place, extending the wait for a Classic winner owned by the reigning monarch to at least 47 years. Frankie Dettori, aboard the 11-4 favourite Arrest, finished second but never seriously threatened the winner after Moore's decisive move.
Aidan O'Brien paid tribute to the royal presence and to Dettori after securing his seventh Leger winner. 'It's so special that the king and queen were here,' O'Brien said. 'Frankie is another who is special... He's the most unbelievable rider we’ve ever seen.'
Continuous may now be considered for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on 1 October, although no Leger winner has ever followed up at Longchamp in the same season. O'Brien noted the horse's class and stamina, saying, 'There is every chance he could run in Paris.' The colt was cut to around 12-1 for the Arc.
