Deauville Legend won the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes in good style at York.
James Ferguson's progressive gelding - runner-up to St Leger favourite New London in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood last month - was well-supported in the run up to the race and duly delivered an impressive performance under Daniel Muscutt, easing to the front a couple of furlongs out before beating market rival Secret State by two and three-quarter lengths.
Ferguson's stablemate El Bodegon finished a further length and a half back in third under Hollie Doyle with Walk Of Stars fourth.
Unable to run in the St Leger due to the fact he is a gelding, a trip to Australia for the Melbourne Cup could be an option for the winner, with Paddy Power introducing him into the market at 14/1.
El Bodegon is also set to head to Australia, where he holds a Cox Plate entry.
Ferguson said: “One moment I was concentrating on El Bodegon as I thought Dan was in trouble and the next moment I saw him with a double handful. He gave him a beautiful ride and didn’t panic.
“Credit to both horses, they’ve both run fantastic races and I’m delighted for both sets of owners. They should both have successful careers Down Under.
“At the moment El Bodegon is in the Cox Plate and Deauville Legend is in the Melbourne Cup, but that’s not all set in stone. Quarantine is about two weeks. Hopefully they be in Australia in early October.
“Deauville Legend has improved with every race and has come out of each race so well, the team have done a great job with him, he’s getting better with age.”
Ferguson announced a change in his set up on Wednesday, switching yards in Newmarket.
He added: “I’m moving to Hugo Palmer’s Kremlin Cottage and I’m looking forward to continuing the good work he started there. There’s 96 boxes so almost double what I’ve got now."
Charlie Appleby has not ruled out a St Leger run for Secret State, who beat Deauville Legend in the King George V Stakes at Ascot.
He said: “It was another solid run and the winner is improving, there’s no doubt about it. We are improving, but the winner is improving at a rate of knots. He travelled particularly well and had a nice pitch.
"We’ll see (about the St Leger). We’ll see how it all pans out over the coming weeks.”
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