Ferguson preps for second half of the season

Wyndham trainer Craig Ferguson is getting his good team in shape for the second half of the current harness racing season.

He has fourteen wins on the board from forty four starters. The team is led by class grey trotter Smokin Bandar (Monkey Bones), R71 pacer Wag Star (Sweet Lou) and ten win gelding Da Vinci (Art Major).

Smokin Bandar has had five starts this season winning twice at Omakau and Addington. He was placed in the G3 Southern Lights and was second behind Oscar Bonavena at Addington twice. His last start was on the 22^{nd of} February.

“He’s back doing fast work. He’s still probably a month away from stepping out. He’s sound and everything is all good with him. We’ll follow the same path as last year heading into the Dominion,” Ferguson said.

Four year old Glaucus (Captaintreacherous) has won two of his four starts but hasn’t raced since May last year.

“He had a quarter crack that needed time to heal so we just put him out for a good long spell. He’s due to start fast work this week.”

Five year old mare Rollon Summer (Bettor’s Delight) last started at Winton at the end of June finishing sixth, and she’s back in work.

“We just gave her a couple of weeks off. She’ll have a workout not this weekend but next. She’ll just have the one workout and then go straight back to the races.”

Wag Star has had only three starts this season after a busy three year old campaign. He last appeared in a ratings race at Rangiora, which he won. In all he’s won five of his thirteen starts.

“He’s coming along nicely. He’s looking bigger and stronger than ever and I’m really happy with him. He’s probably about three weeks from going to a workout. We’ll probably chuck a nomination in for the New Zealand Cup. Realistically it’d be a year too soon, but you don’t know how they come back after a spell and the way he’s looking he’s stronger than he’s ever been.”

Smart filly Louies Girl (Lord Forbes) won two of her three starts this season and last raced in the G2 Southern Oaks where she finished third behind Flying Ellie and Aardie B Miki.

“She’s come back looking good and we’re pretty happy with her. She’s two or three weeks away from going to a workout. We’ll start her in the Nevele R heats. She was up to that level early in her career.”

Da Vinci has won four of his eight starts this season. He last raced in the Southern Country Cups Final at Ascot Park in April, finishing third.

“He’ll go to the workouts next week. He’ll be the first of our good ones to step out. He’s a chance in a good race with the right sort of run because he’s got such high speed. He’s also a good beginner and if he could land in the trail in a decent sort of race, he’d be a chance.”

Cormac Leo (Sweet Lou) from four starts this season has won once. He last raced in the Winton Cup in April, finishing eleventh.

“We weren’t happy with him last time. He won his first up run but he was disappointing after that. After his last start he got crook so we turned him out again. He’s done six weeks jogging and a bit of swimming and is just starting to do fast work this week.”

Rustenburg (Captaintreacherous) has had just one start this season. He last raced at Addington in July.

“He’ll race at Kurow on Sunday. He was disappointing at Addington. He hit his knee and the occasion got to him a bit. We brought him home and freshened him. He was supposed to have a workout last weekend but they didn’t happen so we gave him a private hit out and that should sharpen him up for this week.”

Nutcracker (Bettor’s Delight) started five times this season for two thirds. Her last start was in the Southern Country Cups Final in April when she finished nineth.

“She just started jogging. She was really disappointing at her last few starts so we thought the best thing for her was to give her a good spell. We’ll see how she goes but it coincides with the breeding season so if she doesn’t shape up, she’ll become a broodmare.”

Outside of his racing team Ferguson has a small number of unqualified learners and he highlighted Saucy Delight (Bettor’s Delight) as a horse with potential. He’s a three year old full brother to Chimichurri (9 wins) and Tabasco (2).

“He had a couple of workouts for me last time in. He feels like he’s got a motor and does a really good job.”

Craig also has time for two year old filly Turn N Burn (Art Major). Her granddam Kabet won six races.

“She’s going to be a nice horse. We’ve just put her aside and she’s due to come back and do a bit. We’re just thinking an early three year old for her.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink