The trainer of Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup favourite joked he would happily take the Cup back to England now, before declaring the race might be more open than punters think.
James Ferguson’s Deauville Legend is a raging $6 favourite to win the $8 million race, after the only international in last Saturday’s Cox Plate – El Bodegon – ran a slashing third behind Anamoe.
James Ferguson (second from left) joined jockeys Jamie Kah and Damien Oliver at Monday’s Melbourne Cup Carnival launch.Credit:Racing Photos
El Bodegon’s last run in Europe, also under the guidance of Ferguson, was a third placing to then stablemate Deauville Legend in the group 2 Great Voltigeur at York in August, and punters and bookmakers alike believe that may be the best form leading into Tuesday’s great race.
Ferguson, who has been to Australia before as part of the Godolphin team before taking out his own trainer’s licence three years ago, said El Bodegon’s performance in the Cox Plate certainly filled him with some confidence.
“Obviously, it was wonderful to see El Bodegon run so well in the Cox Plate, given they were work partners at home,” Ferguson said.
“He [Deauville Legend] has travelled down here well. If you want to give me the Cup now, that would be great. But no, it’s an incredibly tough ask. Everything has to go your way.
“He brings a level form into the race, which is nice, but there are 24 runners and everything needs to go right, and he needs to be in as good a form, if not better, than we had him at York.
“He’s travelled over well, and he’s working nicely at Werribee, and they’ve done a great job, and we’re just looking forward to the day.”
Ferguson said it would be incredibly special to win a Melbourne Cup.
“Having been here before, all it made me want to do was come back here again and again,” he said.
“We have Royal Ascot at home that we’re very proud of, but there’s nothing that compares to the Melbourne Cup and the Melbourne Cup carnival. To come here in my own right is a joy, and with the favourite, yeah, we’ve still got a long way to go, but it fills us with confidence.”
Melbourne Cup favourite Deauville Legend.Credit:Getty Images
However, Australia’s queen of racing Gai Waterhouse believes she has an import with the credentials to challenge Deauville Legend.
Hoo Ya Mal will make his Australian debut in the Cup for Waterhouse and her co-trainer Adrian Bott, and Waterhouse has spent nearly every day at Werribee keeping track of his progress since his arrival in Australia.
Hoo Ya Mal finished third behind Deauville Legend (second) in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood in July, and is also an Epsom Derby runner-up.
“I don’t know if I’ll be winning the Melbourne Cup, but I’ll certainly be trying hard,” Waterhouse said.
“He’s a very exciting, sexy horse. This may not be his Cup, but I’ll tell you one thing, you’ll certainly know he’s there.
“He came from second last in the Derby, and Epsom is the most gruelling track you’ll ever come across, and he was just running on. The horse that won the Derby was outstanding, but he was the next best.”
Waterhouse said having 2019 Melbourne Cup-winning rider Craig Williams booked to ride Hoo Ya Mal was a significant advantage.
“He’s right in form, and he’s a jockey and a person who puts a lot of form into what he does,” Waterhouse said.
“He said to me when I ran him on Saturday, on race day, ‘Gai, I’m all yours from Sunday. You tell me what you want to do with the horse, and I’ll be there.’”
Williams rode Hoo Ya Mal in a track gallop at Werribee on Tuesday, while Cox Plate-winning jockey James McDonald partnered with German import Loft at Flemington’s Breakfast with the Stars.
“He worked lovely and quick this morning,” McDonald said of Loft, the second favourite for the Cup.
“He was there to have a good searching gallop, and he did that with flying colours. His condition is spot on, I think. I was really taken by him.
“It was just nice to have a sit on him before the big day and know what he sort of does, but he was very relaxed and pretty uncomplicated really.”
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