Ferguson team rolls on

After winning at Addington last night with Wag Star (Sweet Lou) the amazing season for Wyndham harness racing trainer Craig Ferguson rolled on at the Northern Southland TC meeting at Ascot Park today (Oct. 6).

Street Art (Art Major) in his first standing start, demolished a small but tidy field of pacers in the main pacing feature of the day.

Driven by regular pilot Nathan Williamson the gelding sat back in the seven horse field before Williamson set him alight with 1200 metres to run.

“I thought it may become a sprint home so we whipped around and took the lead. He was good in front,” he said.

The winning margin at the end of the 2700 metre feature was two and a half lengths with Robyns Playboy (Shadow Play) getting a gap late and running home powerfully for second.

“He’s still quite green. He shot away on the bend but waited in the straight. He’s got the ability of a nice horse but he just needs to develop the ringcraft. It’ll be nice when he gets something to challenge him a bit because he’ll have to learn how to dig in a bit.”

STREET ART REPLAY

The winning time in blustery conditions was 3-33.0 with the last 800 metres run in 58.7.

“The most pleasing part today other than getting away from the stand was how well he relaxed and he really sat in there (field), but I just felt as though he was going a bit slow.

Street Art has now won five of his six starts. His only blemish was at Addington last November when he ran fourth in the Macca Lodge South of the Waitaki.

“It was the first time we sat him in (with cover) and he never breathed at all and was gone down the back straight. To pick himself up and run fourth was a huge run and proves he does have some motor.”

Today’s win by Street Art was his twenty fourth. His UDR sits on .5593.

With the two big harness racing carnivals coming up – Cup Week in November and Grand Prix Day in December, Ferguson certainly has some race mapping to do.

Today’s race was robbed of interest when U May Cullect (Gotta Go Cullect) was scratched on race morning after trainer Kirstin Green felt the horse was not quite right to start. He’s officially been retired.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink