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| Staff Writer |
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Continuous, the St Leger champion, is set to compete against Equinox in the upcoming Japan Cup. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, the 3YO followed his victory at Doncaster's Classic race with a fifth-place finish in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, showcasing his endurance.
Although O'Brien has yet to secure a victory in the Japan Cup, his stable jockey, Ryan Moore, has a proven track record in Tokyo. Moore partnered with last year's champion, Vela Azul, under Kunihiko Watanabe's guidance.
“We were going to go back for the Champion Stakes with him, but he got a bit of a temperature, so obviously when they get a temperature, you have to medicate them, and when you medicate them, it takes them out of the race,” O’Brien told Racing TV.
“We were delighted with his run in the Arc. Ryan took his time, like he always does with him, and the pace just went a little bit slow in the middle of the race and that was the way it was, but he came home very well.
“Ryan was very happy with him after the run, he said his run was way better than everyone thinks it was, so hopefully we’ll go back to the Japan Cup with him.
“It’s a race we’ve never won and you need a good horse to win it, so it would be great if we could be competitive in it. It’ll suit him alright, because he’s a good traveller, he can handle fast and soft ground, it doesn’t matter.
“He’s got a great mind and he’s got a lot of ability that horse – he’s probably better than everyone thinks he is."
At the same time, Auguste Rodin, a stablemate, is being targeted to secure a fourth major victory this year in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita. This colt, sired by Deep Impact, has won the Derby twice and most recently emerged victorious in the Irish Champion Stakes held at Leopardstown.
“That’s been the plan for him all the time,” added O’Brien. “He’s done great, too. He’s had a nice break from Leopardstown and that’s probably a break like he’s never had and he’s got strong.
“All the team are delighted with him and we’re really looking forward to it.
“He’s really grown up and he’s another horse that didn’t get a chance to mature, as we trained him for the Guineas and then on to the Derby, the next Derby and the King George, so it’s tough for those baby 3YOs.
“But we’re very happy with him, he’s had a nice little run into this and we’re looking forward to it.”