Saturday 11 July 2020

Frankel Watch 2020: James Ferguson's Francesco Guardi Led Final Strides


James Ferguson may be a new trainer on the block but it didn't take him any time to shine. 

Based at Saville House Stables, St Mary's Square, Newmarket, Suffolk, this talented trainer has literally hit the ground running. 

Today, he put the icing on the cake with a classy colt two-year-old making the headlines. 

This fresh-faced handler is no stranger to success serving alongside Sir Mark Prescott and Jessica Harrington before taking his licence and showing his peers how it is done. 

Many trainers have to wait for a lifetime to get the opportunity to train a Frankel offspring, but this cool-headed rookie has achieved that mantle in the first year. Not only that, but he also proved the point by winning on debut. 

Francesco Guardi looks an exciting prospect for the team. This bay son of Frankel, out of a French-winning mare showed his class when getting up in the dying strides at Salisbury (5:05) to collar John Gosden's hot favourite Lost In Space who held a lead until Hector Crouch made a late dash for victory. 

Racing in the familiar silks of owners The 4letterfirstnames & Ballylinch Stud, this 200,000 guinea yearling purchase looked green and in need of the experience on his racecourse bow. However, raw talent saw this March foal keep on strongly in the closing stages to lead in his final strides winning by a head. 

Francesco Guardi beat eleven opponents in a driving finish priced at odds of 9/1. 

Interestingly, Kieran Fallon, who rides most of the work on this impressive colt, told Ferguson that he would be hard to beat on debut. 

Congratulations to connection and good look for the future. This Frankel two-year-old is going places. 

Did you know Francesco Guardi was a famous Italian painter?