By Sean Cronin
Trainer James Ferguson is on the move, not only set to occupy the Kremlin Cottage base recently vacated by Hugo Palmer, but also bound for Australia after Boniface Ho Ka Kui's 3-year-old gelding Deauville Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}–Soho Rose {Ire}, by Hernando {Fr}) put a dent in the G1 St Leger hopes of his rivals with a decisive success in Wednesday's G2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur S. at York. The March-foaled bay, who followed up a breakthrough score at Windsor in April with a second in June's King George V H. at Royal Ascot, annexed Newmarket's July 7 G3 Bahrain Trophy in his penultimate start before running second in Goodwood's July 28 G3 Gordon S. last time. Stalking the leading duo in third through halfway, the 5-2 favourite made continued headway in the straight to seize control approaching the final furlong and powered clear in the closing stages to comfortably account for 3-1 market rival Secret State (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) by 2 3/4 lengths. Deauville Legend's stablemate and last year's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) hit the front approaching the quarter-mile marker and kept on well once headed to finish 1 1/2 lengths further back in third.
“One moment I was concentrating on El Bodegon as I thought Dan [Muscutt] was in trouble and the next moment I saw him with a double handful,” admitted Ferguson. “He gave him a beautiful ride and didn't panic. Credit to both horses, they've both run fantastic races and I'm delighted for both sets of owners. They should both have successful careers Down Under. At the moment El Bodegon is in the [G1] Cox Plate and Deauville Legend is in the [G1] Melbourne Cup, but that's not all set in stone. Quarantine is about two weeks and, hopefully they'll be in Australia in early October. Deauville Legend has improved with every race and has come out of each race so well, the team have done a great job with him and he's getting better with age.”
Reflecting on his impending transition to a new base on Newmarket's Snailwell Road, the trainer added, “First and foremost I would like to thank Hugo Palmer for allowing me to rent this wonderful yard. There's 96 boxes, so almost double what we've got now. I have been at Saville House since I started out training and this is a very exciting move for myself and the team. We currently have 38 boxes at Saville House, so it is great opportunity for my horses, owners and staff to move into this yard. It is a beautiful yard with all the facilities you need. Hugo enjoyed great success from Kremlin Cottage so I can only hope we can continue the success in this new chapter of my training career.”
Runner-up Secret State remains a possible contender for Doncaster's G1 St Leger, according to Charlie Appleby. “It was another solid run and the winner is improving, there's no doubt about it,” he said. “We are improving, but the winner is improving at a rate of knots. He travelled particularly well and had a nice pitch, so we'll see how it all pans out over the coming weeks.”
Deauville Legend is the fifth of six foals and one of four scorers out of Listed Grosser Dresdner Sachsischer Herbst Preis victrix Soho Rose (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}), herself a full-sister to G2 Pretty Polly S. winner Hanami (GB) and a half-sister to Listed Kolner Stuten-Trophy victrix Dubai Rose (GB) (Dubai Destination). Dubai Rose, in turn, is the dam of dual G2 Prix de Royallieu heroine The Juliet Rose (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) and the dual stakes-placed Pocketfullofdreams (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). The March-foaled bay is a full-brother to this year's G3 Pinnacle S. victrix Sea La Rosa (Ire). He is also a half-brother to G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial runner-up Dean Street Doll (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and a yearling filly by Golden Horn (GB).
Wednesday, York, Britain
SKY BET GREAT VOLTIGEUR S.-G2, £200,000, York, 8-17, 3yo, c/g, 11f 188yT, 2:32.63, gd.
1–DEAUVILLE LEGEND (IRE), 128, g, 3, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Soho Rose (Ire) (SW-Ger & SP-Fr), by Hernando (Fr)
2nd Dam: Russian Rose (Ire), by Soviet Lad
3rd Dam: Thornbeam, by Beldale Flutter
(€200,000 Ylg '20 ARDEAY). O-Boniface Ho Ka Kui; B-GB Partnership (IRE); T-James Ferguson; J-Daniel Muscutt. £113,420. Lifetime Record: 7-3-3-0, $363,436. *Full to Sea La Rosa (IRE), MGSW-Eng, $408,187; and 1/2 to Dean Street Doll (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), GSP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Secret State (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Jacqueline Quest (Ire), by Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (525,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-C O P Hanbury (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £43,000.
3–El Bodegon (Ire), 128, c, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Al Andalyya, by Kingmambo. (70,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-NAS Syndicate & A F O'Callaghan; B-Cecil & Martin McCracken (IRE); T-James Ferguson. £21,520.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1HF, 4HF. Odds: 2.50, 3.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Walk Of Stars (GB), Grand Alliance (Ire), Aikhal (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Deauville Legend powers clear of the field in the Group 2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes and is more group success for James Ferguson and Daniel Muscutt. 🥇@SkyBet @jamesferguson89 @D_Muscutttt pic.twitter.com/pNpEB8nJFR
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 17, 2022
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