Nutcracker adds to Ferguson ‘suite’ season

Nutcracker’s (Bettor’s Delight) win in the Kia Ora Campers Pacing Cup at the Wingatui harness meeting yesterday added to the great season Wyndham horseman Craig Ferguson is having in the cart.

In yesterday’s $20,000 pacing feature Nutcracker began well and trailed early pacemaker She’s Tough, before taking up the pacemaker’s role herself.

“She’d been working super and looked super and I didn’t want to get locked away on the fence. I hadn’t done any work until that stage and managed to round pretty cheaply. I wasn’t necessarily keen to stay in front but I wasn’t sure on which one I wanted to follow.”

Coming up the straight it seemed that Hacksaw Ridge had Nutcracker’s measure, but the Ferguson trained mare fought back to win by half a length from Hacksaw Ridge, with Judaque powering home for third a length and a half away.

“She’s still big in condition at the moment but it’s probably not a bad thing because she’ll have a lot of racing over the Central circuit. She gave me the impression she’ll improve with the run.”

NUTCRACKER REPLAY

Bred by Paul and Brendan Duffy, Nutcracker’s win enhances her dam Rockin Cullen’s fine record. She’s also left Yorokobi which has won eleven races and Da Vinci who’s won ten.

Ferguson says Nutcracker will likely line up in the Cromwell Cup.

“It’s a locally run meeting and Brendan’s the President (of the Wyndham HRC) now, so it would be nice to have her in that race for him.”

It was the five year old’s seventh win and takes her earnings to over $70,000.

“She’s going to have to be well placed. She’ll win a few more I would say if we place her right. If you can save her up and not do too much work, that’s (sprinting) her biggest asset.”

Later in the card he drove the Amber Hoffman trained Moment Of What (What The Hill) to win the Icon Interior Construction Trotting Cup.

MOMENT OF WHAT REPLAY

“He travelled well the whole way. He switched off halfway down the straight but when I asked him for an effort he accelerated again and felt like he had gears left. I was very impressed with him.”

The four year old gelding’s stocks are on the rise. He’s now won five of his fourteen starts.

“He’s been getting better and better in his gait. That’s been the only issue with him up until now.”

The win caps off a marvellous run for Ferguson who in the space of two months, has won three Group One races and a $200,000 Listed feature. The golden run includes the $310,500 New Zealand Derby on We Walk By Faith, the drive on Marketplace in the $100,000 Group One Ace Of Spades, the $184,000 Sires’ Stakes Final and the $200,000 NZB Standardbred Harness Million.

This season he’s driven forty eight winners who’ve collectively won more than $1,000,000 in stakes.

“It’s been great really and I’ve been so fortunate to get on some really nice horses and win some nice races, and been lucky enough to pick up a couple. It’s been a great run,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson says his confidence level have improved over the last few months.

“I feel as though I can back myself to make the right decisions. The more you’re out there the better you get. I think my driving has improved.”

And it should be noted that Ferguson’s new helmet seems to be working a treat for the man they called Bubba.

“Since I’ve had it, I’ve had a pretty good strike rate. I should have got one sooner perhaps (laughter).”

Meanwhile both Wag Star and Da Vinci are on target to go into the $100,000 Group One Ascot Park Hotel Invercargill Cup in eleven days time.

“He’s (Wag Star) working good and he’ll head to the Winton Workouts on Friday with Da Vinci and then straight into the Cup.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink