Great Voltigeur star Deauville Legend 'has all the attributes' for Melbourne Cup

Wednesday: Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, York

James Ferguson was relishing taking aim at two of the jewels in Australia's spring carnival crown after Deauville Legend surged to Melbourne Cup favouritism with a dominant victory in the Great Voltigeur Stakes.

Ferguson landed his breakthrough top-level success just ten months ago and celebrated the biggest success in Britain in a burgeoning career with the son of Sea The Stars, who was supported into 5-2 favouritism for the Group 2.

Settled in midfield by Daniel Muscutt, for a brief moment Deauville Legend looked likely to be drawn into a battle with stablemate El Bodegon, but he brushed him aside with ease to win by two and three-quarter lengths.

Secret State nabbed El Bodegon on the line, but left an overjoyed Ferguson, who was fist-pumping with a half-furlong left to go, celebrating a first and a third with his stable stars.

As a gelding, Deauville Legend is ineligible for next month's Cazoo St Leger, but Ferguson has the Lexus Melbourne Cup firmly in his sights, for which he is the 8-1 market leader with Sky Bet and a general 10-1.

"They both ran fantastically well and I'm thrilled to have two horses of their calibre," Ferguson said. "One moment I thought El Bodegon was going to win and Dan was in trouble, the next I saw Dan with a double-handful. He gave him a beautiful ride and didn't panic.

"I'm looking forward to both of their future careers down under. At the moment El Bodegon is in the Cox Plate and Deauville Legend in the Melbourne Cup, but quarantine is in about two weeks and the owners have got the final decision."

Deauville Legend (right): stays on strongly for Group 2 successCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Ferguson is in the process of moving his 55-strong team to Kremlin Cottage Stables in Newmarket, and hopes his star three-year-olds will cap off his brilliant season with more major success beyond Britain.

"Hugo Palmer has kindly allowed me to train from there and we're looking forward to continuing the success," he added. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to train this wonderful small string of three-year-olds and we're looking forward to sending them to Australia."

Deauville Legend's success was also the biggest of Muscutt's career. The jockey broke his Group-race duck on the winner in last month's Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket and insists his mount has what it takes to land the Flemington showpiece.

"You need these horses to elevate your career and the horse has done the talking. He's thriving," he said. "He's got all the attributes for the Melbourne Cup. He's got the gate and tactical speed to put himself in the right places and is a smooth traveller."

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