Cover image courtesy of James Ferguson Racing
Ferguson joined the training ranks in Newmarket after stints as assistant to some of the best trainers in the business, including top-class dual-purpose trainer Jessica Harrington and Godolphin’s head trainer in Britain, Charlie Appleby.
It was during his years with Godolphin that Ferguson got his first taste of winning races in Australia. In 2016 he accompanied and oversaw the training of a host of horses from Sheikh Mohammed’s powerful operation in Australia, including G3 Geelong Cup winner Qewy (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}), Francis Of Assisi (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) - a winner of both the G3 Bendigo Cup and G3 Queen Elizabeth S. and Scottish (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who was runner-up in the G1 Caulfield Cup.
Francis Of Assisi (Ire) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Meanwhile, the following autumn Ferguson was deployed to the country with another strong team of Appleby horses, including Polarisation (GB) (Echo Of Light {GB}), who famously, or infamously, in fact, had to win the G1 Sydney Cup twice in the space of 14 days after his first victory in the 3200 metre was declared void.
Ferguson chaperoned Qewy once again in 2017, overseeing the son of Street Cry’s (Ire) training which culminated in a successful defence of his G3 Bendigo Cup crown.
Rich experience
Ferguson said he would be drawing on these experiences when he takes Deauville Legend to Australia this spring.
“We had a really good spring carnival that year and then came back in the autumn, so I know how it works and I know Werribee and I think that should help me a lot,” Ferguson told TDN AusNZ.
“We had a really good spring carnival that year (2016) and then came back in the autumn, so I know how it works and I know Werribee and I think that should help me a lot.” - James Ferguson
Owned by prolific Australian owner Bon Ho, Deauville Legend was picked up by Ho’s European Racing Manager and Bloodstock agent Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock for €200,000 (AU$287,400) at the 2020 Arqana Select Yearling Sale, which takes place in Deauville, hence the name choice, while he also purchased Oceania Legend (Ire) (Australia {GB}) at the same sale for €80,000 (AU$114,900) and he was also sent into training with Ferguson.
The decision to send a few yearlings the way of the young trainer came after he advertised his capabilities with another horse of Ho’s, Snowalot (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who Ferguson saddled to two victories in 2021. He has since been shipped to Australia and is now in training with John Sadler.
James Ferguson | Image courtesy of James Ferguson Racing
“Mark McStay is Bon Ho’s European bloodstock agent and his racing manager. Mark and I are very good friends and we worked very closely together at Godolphin,” explained Ferguson.
“At the beginning of last year, I got a horse called Snowalot and we ended up winning two races with him the first year we had him and off the back of that we got two yearlings and they were Deauville Legend and Oceania Legend.”
High-class performer
Oceania Legend is currently unbeaten in two starts, while Deauville Legend, having been narrowly denied a victory as a 2-year-old last season, got his 3-year-old career off to the best possible start when he broke his maiden at Windsor on April 25.
He was then sent to the Royal Ascot where he finished second, beaten a 0.2l, in the King George V S., before adding a first Group win to his CV in the G3 Bahrain Trophy S. at Newmarket.
Oceania Legend (Ire) | Image courtesy of Coolmore
The gelding ran another fine race when coming home in second in the G3 Gordon S. at Goodwood in July, with fellow G1 Melbourne Cup aspirant Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) finishing third.
However, it was with his most recent triumph, when he sauntered to an effortless 2.8l victory in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. at York last week, that had many earmark him as a bona fide hope for the G1 Melbourne Cup, a race he is now favourite for.
“He’s come out of the race brilliantly,” said Ferguson. “He has a great constitution, he’s never had a race and not eaten up all his food. He takes his racing really well and that’s the reason we have been able to run him as often as we have this year. He lost not much weight after the race and he has already put that back on, so we’re delighted with him.
“He’s (Oceania Legend) come out of the race brilliantly. He has a great constitution, he’s never had a race and not eaten up all his food. He takes his racing really well and that’s the reason we have been able to run him as often as we have this year.” - James Ferguson
“He’s quite a hot horse - he’s got a personality. I can imagine him growing up and at the moment he is still mentally improving with every run. He is a lovely horse and the team at home has done a wonderful job with him.”
Big opportunity
Ferguson has expressed his desire to win the 3200-metre marathon on November 1 and said he has great admiration for the way racing is conducted in Australia, especially during Cup week in Melbourne.
“To have a horse, who looks a legitimate Melbourne Cup contender, at this stage in my career is not something that I would have imagined. I remember doing questionnaires when I just started out and the question: What race would you most like to win? The answer to that question for me was the Melbourne Cup,” Ferguson said.
“To have a horse, who looks a legitimate Melbourne Cup contender, at this stage in my career is not something that I would have imagined. I remember doing questionnaires when I just started out and the question: What race would you most like to win? The answer to that question for me was the Melbourne Cup.” - James Ferguson
“There is so much enthusiasm for the race down there, it is a completely different world. At that time the Melbourne Cup is the only event in their consciousness and it would be amazing if England could replicate that because it is truly such an incredible event.
“I have always wanted to travel a horse down there, but to win it would be a dream this early in my career and if I could win it for an owner like Mr Ho who has been so supportive of me this early on in my career, would make it all the more sweeter.”
Ferguson was effusive in his praise for the Hong Kong-based owner and believes he is incredibly lucky for the opportunity he has bestowed upon him.
“Mr Ho is an incredibly kind owner and for him to support me so early on in my career is huge. He understands the game and he is very easy to train for and I am so grateful for the opportunity,” said Ferguson. “He is very enthusiastic and knows all of his horses inside and out.
“Mr Ho is an incredibly kind owner and for him to support me so early on in my career is huge. He understands the game and he is very easy to train for and I am so grateful for the opportunity.” - James Ferguson
“We have some lovely 2-year-olds that he bought last year that are all yet to run, but I think Mark and Mr Ho have done a wonderful job in choosing these horses and we are fortunate to be the lucky recipients.”
Australian ties
Australian ownership is smattered throughout Ferguson’s yard including juvenile Group 1 winner El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who is raced by Nas Syndicate which was created by Australian Champion trainer Chris Waller and his assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth.
Bought by Ferguson for 70,000gns (AU$118,900) at Book 2 of the Tattersalls Yearling Sale in 2020, the 3-year-old colt has three of his nine starts, spearheaded by juvenile black-type victories in the G3 Prix de Conde and G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud.
This season, the son of Kodiac (GB) has been a model of consistency, finishing second behind Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Du Jockey Club, while he came home in third behind his stablemate in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. last week.
Ferguson said after his run at York that El Bodegon could be aimed at the G1 Cox Plate this spring, but that plans for the colt at this stage were fluid.
“I have another syndicate in the yard called the NAS Syndicate that El Bodegon is owned by and that is their job. It is a syndicate created by Chris Waller and Charlie Duckworth and their owners,” explained Ferguson.
“We buy the yearlings here and effectively pre-train them for Australia, which means they are getting the top pedigrees down there who have the European conditioning on them and then go down hopefully be very successful down there.
“We buy the yearlings here and effectively pre-train them for Australia, which means they are getting the top pedigrees down there who have the European conditioning on them and then go down hopefully be very successful down there.” - James Ferguson
“With the tried-horses' market the way it is, it makes a lot of sense for trainers like Chris Waller to buy the likes of El Bodegon for 70,000gns that are able to win Group 1s and come second in French Derbys, rather than spend a million here as tried and tested horses.
“I am very aware that it does mean a large chunk of my horses will leave me during their 3-year-old career, but I take great pride in the fact that I can send these horses down in tip-top condition.”
Win, lose or draw this year, for Ferguson going forward, Australia will always feature in his reckoning for horses in his care, believing the opportunities on offer in the country are too great to pass up.
James Ferguson and Danielle Murray | Image courtesy of James Ferguson
“Australia will always be on my radar for any horse I think is suitable. Why would it not be? There is so much prizemoney up for grabs, so absolutely it will always be something in the back of my mind,” he said.
“Any trainer has to look to do what is right for the owners and is right for the owners to try and win them as much prizemoney as they can.”
