Bubba on the boil

Craig “Bubba” Ferguson is fast establishing himself as an excellent strike rate trainer and last Friday night’s double on a premier harness racing night at Addington highlighted that.

With horsepower that includes Smokin Bandar (Monkey Bones), American Eyretime (Tintin In America), Da Vinci (Art Major) and Street Art (Art Major), the twenty nine year old Wyndham trainer looks to be in for a good second half season.

The born and bred Southlander like so many in the Wyndham area, was mentored by local trainer Brendon “Snow” McLellan.

“Dad had a horse or two when I was young, so I’d come to the track, watch what Snow was doing and think I’d like to get involved. So I started off helping him in the mornings before school,” he said.

His nickname Bubba came from another young Southlander who also started out with McLellan – Regan Todd.

“It was originally Bubba Snow because I worked and modelled myself on Snow and drove just like him.”

As a junior his first win was on Lucy Legacy at Forbury Park in August 2010 trained by McLellan.

Like a host of junior drivers in Southland, Ferguson was supported by Gore trainer Ross Wilson.

“He got me started and he put me on his team which was a huge help.”

As a junior, twenty two of Ferguson’s one hundred and five winners were provided by Wilson.

As a driver, Ferguson has reined two hundred and twenty six winners with Ross and Chris Wilson the biggest contributors, on fifty eight.

Ferguson began training in 2016 and his first winner as a trainer was with No More Change at Winton in 2016.

He says training wasn’t something he thought too hard about, but early success has encouraged him to take it further.

“I got a couple of horses and they went okay. I started with the hand me downs and it helped having the pool here. Now we’ve got a few nice younger horses with owners that have been with me for a while.”

Wyndham families headed by Paul and Brendon Duffy, and Bathan and Jane Muir have been great supporters.

“They’ve been with me the whole way through, but they’ve been breeding their own, so we’ve had to wait for them to come through.”

The Wyndham HRC has also supported Ferguson by helping him get set up with a stable block, boxes and land on the racecourse.

“I’ve been so lucky with the Club, (for them to) build these boxes and to add the yards as well. For a young guy these days it’s just too hard to set up your own property. Clubs doing these sorts of things are a huge help. I think if Clubs can set up facilities for young trainers it will also get the horse numbers up.”

He now has space for nineteen horses undercover.

“We’ll cap it at that in the winter. We could take a few more in the summer with the aim of getting some nicer horses if we can.”

For the last few seasons Ferguson has been attracting a better quality of horse into his stable, starting with trotter Smokin Bandar who came via Kirstin Green who was having a few issues with the talented square gaiter.

“He (Smokin Bandar) got me started in picking up some of these nicer horses.”

Ferguson credits the pool at the Wyndham course as part of the attraction.

“Mentally it’s something different rather than going round and round the track and it takes all the weight off their legs. It gives horses that are having leg issues some respite.”

One of his other star performers is American Eyretime which has turned a corner under Ferguson’s watch.

“She’s had a few niggly issues and the pool has been a real asset. She does most of her works in the pool. I may hopple her once a week and basically, she goes onto the track on race days.”

He has plenty of support at the stable with junior drivers Mark Hurrell and Max Hill based there, as well as hobby trainer Michelle Horton who helps out most days.

“There’s plenty of volunteers who love coming here too, seeing the horses and giving a hand. I’m pretty lucky that way.”

Ferguson remains buoyant about the future of harness racing and hopes more Clubs will use their land to set up young trainers.

“The opportunities for junior drivers are pretty good these days but there’s not a lot of young people floating about. Hopefully a few catch the bug and want to get into it.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink