Many will remember the hype surrounding Deauville Legend before last year’s Melbourne Cup.
The English-trained galloper had won a classy York Group 2 in some style and was a red-hot favourite for the big one at Flemington. Ultimately, Deauville Legend couldn’t get the job done, finishing fourth behind Gold Trip.
He wasn’t beaten far that day as a young horse however and we reckon he shouldn’t be forgotten. He is a general $21 chance, but he hasn’t become a bad horse overnight. It would be remiss of us not to remind punters of this.
Overall, he may still be improving. Deauville Legend is only a four-year-old with few miles on the clock. He’s had only ten races and has been handled patiently. Admittedly, he needs a return to form after a poor run at Ascot but that remains more than possible.
So, what next for Deauville Legend? Where will he go next and will he make it to the Cup?
What Will Deauville Legend’s Prep Look Like?
We saw Vauban being very impressive in his Group 3 prep in Ireland recently. It seems that Willie Mullins is favouring sending him straight to Melbourne. His presence at the top of the market is helping last year’s favourite go under the radar somewhat in the Melbourne Cup odds, but Deauville Legend cannot head straight to Flemington.
The Caulfield Cup now appears to be firmly on the agenda. A number of Japanese and European raiders are expected to go for this year’s race after the nominations were released last week.
No international horse has taken part in the Caulfield Cup since 2020, but this year is likely to be different. Paul Bloodworth is Racing Victoria’s international recruiter and he has been in touch regularly with certain connections, notably those of British runners West Wind Blows and Deauville Legend.
It seems trainer James Ferguson discussed Deauville Legend’s poor run at Ascot with Bloodworth. The recruiter understands though that all is well with the horse and the Caulfield Cup is the preferred lead-up for the team ahead of the Melbourne Cup.
The Caulfield Cup is run on October 21st. That will be the perfect prep, but Deauville Legend may need another run in Europe before then. With ten weeks to go, a return to form would be ideal.
Race Distance is the Question
Though James Ferguson seems confident that Deauville Legend can stay 3200m, he is classy over middle-distances. His two races before and after the Cup have been over 2400m. That seems to be the ideal distance to run over in Europe one again before stepping up at Flemington.
He doesn’t have an entry in the upcoming Ebor Festival at York, though he does hold one in the 2800m Irish St Leger at the Curragh on September 10.
A run in England, Ireland or France at a lower level may be the best course of action. We’ll watch his entries with great interest.
