Hong Kong Sprint
In October, Continent faced a field of twenty in the Prix de L'Abbaye and was made 4/1 joint favourite with Bahamian Pirate. Holland tracked the leaders before producing Continent with a strong run in the final furlong. The gelding ran on strongly under pressure to take the lead on the line and win a three way photo finish from the Italian runner Slap Shot and the French-trained Zipping with Bahamian Pirate a neck behind in fourth. After the race Slap Shot's jockey Mirco Demuro was so convinced that he had won that he rode his horse into the winner's enclosure and celebrated with a Frankie Dettori-style flying dismount. The stewards examined the photograph for fifteen minutes before declaring Continent the winner. Nicholls was as surprised as anyone; "I'm gobsmacked... I need a drink". Continent was the first gelding to win the Prix de l'Abbaye, the race having been restricted to "entire" colts and fillies until 2001. On his final race of the year Continent was sent to Sha Tin Racecourse for the Hong Kong Sprint but made no impression, finishing last of the fourteen runners.