AIDAN O’Brien has previously used today’s feature events at the Curragh as a launchpad to marquee Group 1 targets, and the same could be in store this time around.

Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Found landed today’s Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes back in 2015 - that run teeing her up for a second-place finish in the same year’s Irish Champion Stakes behind Golden Horn and a defeat of that rival in the Breeders’ Cup Turf two starts later.

Similarly, Luxembourg went from a workmanlike win as 2/9 favourite in the 2022 Royal Whip to landing the Irish Champion Stakes on his next start. The Shoda Market Cafe-sponsored contest can be a useful pointer to significant autumn targets.

A glance at the overnight odds for the 2024 renewal suggests O’Brien is likely to supply the answer again this weekend in the shape of Continuous, an impressive winner of last year’s St Leger and Great Voltigeur Stakes before finishing an admirable fifth to Ace Impact in the Arc.

The four-year-old, by Japanese sire Heart’s Cry, has had a curtailed campaign this season, only appearing once when fifth on his return from a 265-day break in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last time.

Despite him being at his best over further than today’s 10-furlong trip, he has a serious advantage on his rivals in terms of ratings here. His official mark of 119 is at least 12lb superior to the rest, and the conditions of the race mean he does not have to give away a penalty for his Group 1 win at Doncaster last autumn.

O’Brien told The Irish Field: “We felt as though we needed to get a race into Continuous because he’s been hanging around a little bit without having many runs. Ascot was his first start of the year and he hasn’t run since but we’ve been happy with him.”

Autumn option

Asked whether Continuous could possibly return to ParisLongchamp for the Arc (top price of 25/1), O’Brien added: “He definitely could be. We’ll get him started this weekend and take it from there with him.”

There could also be international interest later in the year for Ballydoyle’s representative in today’s Group 3 Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial Stakes.

Grosvenor Square very nearly lowered the colours of Tower Of London in last month’s Curragh Cup when faring well under a positive ride, and will bid to become O’Brien’s eighth winner of the race in the space of 11 runnings (and his ninth winner of the race overall).

His main danger could prove to be Willie Mullins’ County Hurdle winner Absurde, who was also successful in last year’s Ebor.

O’Brien said: “We’ve been pleased with Grosvenor Square. You’d have to be delighted with his run the last day at the Curragh. He could be a Melbourne Cup horse for later in the year.”

The Galileo three-year-old is a top-priced 25/1 for the Flemington feature in November.