Economics is booming, Continuous cranks up and the Morny makes Babouche look even better

Three key takeaways from this week . . .

Economics rises to the test – and has so much more to come

Arguably no performance this season has generated as much post-race hype as Economics in the Dante. Absent for three months since, could he back up the impression created that day when returning at Deauville?

Some reservations had been expressed over the form of that York win, but any doubts over his quality were cast aside with an authoritative victory over the hardy Jayarebe. His rider Sean Levey could not have done any more in his bid to upset the 11-10 favourite, who was having only his fourth start.

Economics charges past Jayarebe wo win the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'OrnanoCredit: APRH / QUENTIN BERTRAND

It's hard to imagine Economics not picking up a Group 1 before the end of the season, particularly as he won't mind an ease in the ground that the autumn will bring.

Economics was never stronger than at the line, which raises the tantalising prospect of even more improvement to come if or when he is stepped up to a mile and a half, especially as this was only the fourth time we've seen him on a racecourse.

William Haggas will continue to resist that temptation for the rest of this season, with a possible Champion Stakes double-header at Leopardstown and Ascot on the agenda. However, there has been every indication that the Night Of Thunder colt will return as a four-year-old and it may only be then we truly see him at his best.

Continuous cranking into gear

Grosvenor Square hogged the headlines at the Curragh with his remarkable 20-length victory in the Irish St Leger trial, meaning stablemate Continuous snuck quietly under the radar as he returned to winning ways in the Royal Whip.

This was only his second run of the season and first since the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot, and he has surely been kept deliberately quiet for a lucrative autumn campaign.

Continuous (centre) wins the Royal Whip StakesCredit: Patrick McCann

It was around this time last year he really blossomed as a three-year-old, winning the Great Voltigeur and St Leger before finishing a very creditable fifth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. 

That effort at Longchamp came just two weeks after his Doncaster heroics, whereas this year he heads into the latter part of the season much more lightly raced. 

Don't rule him out of your Arc thinking this year and Aidan O'Brien mooted the Japan Cup as a possible target too, a race he had also been on his radar last year but did not come to fruition. Long-term, he could have the stamina needed to become a successor to Kyprios.

Whistlejacket provides big boost for Babouche

Whistlejacket deserves huge credit for backing up his second place in last week's Phoenix Stakes with victory in the Morny, but his performance begged the question of just how good is Babouche?

Juddmonte's filly more than had the measure of the Coolmore colt at the Curragh last week and the Irish juvenile filly scene now looks even more exciting.

Babouche (left) pulls ahead of Whistlejacket (green silks) in the Pheonix StakesCredit: Patrick McCann

As ever, there is some exceptional young talent at Ballydoyle this year, including Albany winner Fairy Godmother. Her remarkable Ascot win was also boosted this week by the victory of runner-up Simmering, who landed a Group 2 at Deauville.

She could be on a collision course with Babouche in Newmarket's Cheveley Park Stakes at the end of next month and what a race that could be.

Read these next:   

Economics 'definitely has more to come' says Tom Marquand as star colt vindicates William Haggas's plan with impressive return 

'It's very hard not to go to Doncaster after that' - Grosvenor Square 8-1 for St Leger after 20-length win 

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