Boughey voices staying concerns for Melbourne Cup hope Hoo Ya Mal
Hoo Ya Mal (Territories) looked a suspect stayer when disappointing in Sunday’s St Leger (Gr 1, 1m 6.5f) at Doncaster, but his trainer George Boughey believes firmer ground and the different style of racing in Australia will help him in the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m).
Hoo Ya Mal was a disappointing eighth of nine – nine lengths behind winner Eldar Eldarov (Dubawi) – in the final Classic of the UK Flat season.
The Melbourne Cup at Flemington in November, over a furlong and a half further than the St Leger, has been his big end-of-season target since Gai Waterhouse splashed out £1.2 million to purchase him at the Goffs London Sale in June and Boughey believes he will be better suited to the Australian test.
Boughey said: “He didn’t seem to stay for me, he was the last one on the bridle but it was very soft ground and I think at that level he just looked a bit weak in the finish. Both of my horses who ran on the day ran below par the ground was probably just too soft for them.
“I don’t think it changes anything moving forward, he’s very much on track for the Melbourne Cup. It’s a very different style of racing over there on firmer ground.”
Boughey confirmed Sunday’s contest was the colt’s final start under his care as his preparations continue towards the first Tuesday in November at Flemington.
He added: “He’s come out of the race in good shape, he’s put back on his weight that he lost, he’s gone off for all his scans ahead of his quarantine, but overall we couldn’t be happier with him.”
Meanwhile, James Ferguson was upbeat on the progress of his Melbourne Cup contender Deauville Legend (Sea The Stars).
The trainer believes the lack of international runners at the top end of the weights for the two-mile contest is set to play into the three-year-old’s favour.
“Deauville Legend is in very good order. He came out of the Great Voltigeur in great form and he goes into quarantine a week on Monday,” Ferguson said. “The weights for the Melbourne Cup came out [on Tuesday] and we were given 55 kilograms. We’re looking forward to going down there.
“This year – the Australians say themselves – it’s a bit of an anomaly year where there was no natural topweight. You could argue that the Australian field is almost a little bit weaker than it has been in recent years and therefore we’re going down there with every chance.”
St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov would also carry 55 kilograms if he competes, while the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Without A Fight (Teofilo) has the biggest weight of those trained in Britain and Ireland and would carry 55.5 kilograms.
Another Ferguson-trained runner headed to Australia is El Bodegon (Kodiac) but unlike his Melbourne Cup-bound stablemate, he will switch to Chris Waller’s yard for his attempt at the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 22.
“I’ll be going down there for the race and quite rightly will cheer on El Bodegon too,” Ferguson added. “We’re still training him and we work very closely with the Waller team. We’re looking forward to him going down there and being very successful for them.”