JAMES Ferguson’s Deauville Legend gained compensation for an agonising defeat at Royal Ascot by taking out the £200,000 Group 3 Bahrain Trophy on the opening day of Newmarket’s Moët & Chandon July Festival.
The son of Sea The Stars just failed to reel in Godolphin’s Secret State in the King George V Stakes at Ascot but it was Deauville Legend’s turn this time, to fend off the challengers.
Having travelled strongly under rider Daniel Muscutt, the horse took up the running with just over a furlong to go and toughed it out in the final 200 yards from the fast-finishing Al Qareem (second place) and Walk Of Stars (3rd).
Trainer Ferguson said: “He travelled well. He had come on for that run at Ascot. I thought Danny (Muscutt) gave him a cool ride and he stayed every yard of the trip.
“I’m just so grateful to the owner (K K Ho). He is a huge international owner who has been a big supporter of mine pretty much since I’ve started. We will just get back and have a chat with him and see what the plan is.”
Successful jockey Muscutt, who got married at the weekend and lives in nearby Cheveley, said: “He found a nice rhythm from the gate. He is pretty uncomplicated in the race the hardest part was getting him in the stalls, but he seems to be getting better each start.”
The race was attended by Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) High Authority member Shaikh Sultan Al Deen bin Mohammed bin Salman Al Khalifa presented the trophy to a K K Ho stable representative, and awarded prizes also to Ferguson and Muscutt.
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