Dylan talks Victoria Derby for Lovemeto

Young Cambridge harness racing trainer Dylan Ferguson gets the chance to add to his CV on Sunday afternoon at Maryborough when Lovemeto (What The Hill) which he trains in partnership with Graeme Rogerson, takes his place in the Group One Hara’s De Trotteurs Victoria Trotters Derby.

The three year old gelding draws favourably at five.

“At the end of the day the draw is only the starting point. We’ve got a couple of favoured runners drawn to the inside of us. The one to beat (The Locomotive) has drawn the second row. I think it’s going to be a little bit tactical early. We’ve got to make sure we’re in the right position and hope that the other favourites are in a position to aid our chances. We’ll look at the race over the next few days and make a bit of a plan but as everyone knows plans often go out the window when the mobile leaves,” Ferguson said.

Lovemeto already has a Group One Derby to his name having won the Northern Trotting Derby in Auckland in May over 2700 metres. So 2690 metres on Sunday won’t bother him.

“He’s proven he’s a very good stayer. He’s adaptable so hopefully we can drive him the way we want to. He’s going to be there when the whips are cracking that’s for sure.”

Lovemeto was very impressive when he won his heat for the Derby by more than 30 metres, on the Maryborough course.

“It was his first look at the track and every track he’s raced on has been pretty much different. I think he should benefit from the experience and to be honest I still think he’s got five to ten percent improvement up his sleeve. I think a hard 2690 on Sunday should bring him on a little bit more.”

Lovemeto winning his heat of the Victoria Trotters Derby

Ferguson has labelled The Locomotive (Muscle Mass) as the hardest to beat.

“He’s got the runs on the board, he’s the top dog over here. And then you’ve got the raw talent of London To A Brick (Bettor’s Delight) and the filly (She’s Ruby Roo) adding a wee bit of interest as well.”

After Sunday nights feature Ferguson will be bringing both horses home, with the New Zealand Trotting Derby on December 10^th at Addington on Lovemeto’s radar.

“The more races he wins the higher his rating gets. We’ve got all our focus on Sunday at the moment and once we get him home and see how he settles back into his home environment we’ll make a plan working back from the New Zealand Derby.”

Ferguson says Lovemeto hasn’t been the perfect traveller and has been quite picky with his food, whereas stablemate Shez Bella (Pegasus Spur) has been the opposite.

“She had the trip to Christchurch last year and she’s come over here and within a day settled in. Seeing what the trip away has done for her I think it’ll work wonders for him.”

Shez Bella after racing wide and sitting parked, finished fourth in the Victoria Oaks at Melton ten days ago. She also lines up on Sunday, drawing the outside gate in a seven horse field.

“Getting shuffled back at the start when the one in front of us didn’t leave the gate probably put paid to our chances (in the Oaks). She seems to have improved from that run. She’s only had nine starts and is pretty inexperienced at that level of racing. I think she’ll get better throughout the year as she gets more racing under her belt at that higher level. Sunday’s race is over a mile and Rockinwithattitude (Aldebaran Eagle) has drawn inside of her so she’s going to have to bring her A game to win that.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink