Wag new star

Southland looks to have uncovered a new harness racing star in Wag Star (Sweet Lou) who won impressively at Addington last night (Oct. 5).

Trained at Wyndham by Craig Ferguson, the three year old was taken to the top by driver Mark Hurrell with just under a lap to run and he went on to win impressively by ten lengths. The 1980 metre mobile was cut out in 2-21.4 with the last 800 run in 56.0.

“We didn’t know what to expect, being his first run back. He seems to have done it quite easily,” part owner Bill Bain said.

The gelding was bred by Bill McDowell and his wife Mary who share ownership with Bill and Pauline Bain of Roxburgh.

“The two Bills were sitting on the sofa one day and Bill (Bain) had two services; one to Sir Lincoln and the other to Sweet Lou. My Bill said I’ve got the mare and you’ve got the service fee so that’s how it happened,” Mary said.

“It’s the best decision both of us have ever made,” Bain added.

Wag Star is out of Live Or Die mare Sunny Two, which won two races.

“Bill always wanted a Live Or Die mare. I found her in the calendar (Harness Racing Publication). She had a damaged eye, a sore leg and something happened to her hoof. Billy (Heads) nursed her back to health and won a race with her at Invercargill,” Mary said.

As a broodmare she didn’t have too much luck and Wag Star was Sunny Two Shoes last foal before she was given away as a hack.

Mary comes from a family steeped in harness racing history. Her uncle was Ted Lowe.

He trained 350 winners including Humphrey (18 including the 1968 New Zealand Trotting Cup), Cairnbrae (13), Grouse (12), Stortford Lodge (11), Pun (10), Dundas (10), Fri (10).

The name Wag Star comes from Lowe’s good open class pacer of the 70s. Wag (Thurber Frost). He was raced by Mary’s grandmother Annie Lowe and won fifteen races including the 1971 Hannon Memorial and 1972 Canterbury Classic.

“We all got one of these big pictures one year for Christmas with Gran and the horse. Bill and I always liked the name Wag and the two Bills put in these names to HRNZ and they all got turned down. I rang up John French (HRNZ Registration Officer) and asked if we could get Wag Star. So that’s how he got his name. Bill (McDowell) liked the word Star on the end.”

Having a good horse is not new to the Bains. They raced Pembrook’s Delight (Bettor’s Delight) which won nine races including the 2012 Four Year Old Mares Diamond at Cambridge.

The McDowells have bred and raced horses for a long time. Uncle Eddie (Golden Fulla) won two races for Dane Alexander and they bred Westland Star (Sundon) which won five for Carl Middleton prior to heading to America.

They were also members of the Sunbeam Syndicate which raced Spotlight The Valley (Skyvalley). It won eleven races for Balfour trainer Robert Wilson.

Bain said the partnership has had plenty of offers for Wag Star but the group is not interested in selling.

“We all want to breed a good horse. We’re all of the same opinion and that’s to race him and have a bit of fun. He’s going to keep improving because he’s a big strong horse.”

“We’ve raced horses on our own but it so good sharing it with Bill and Pauline. We’re all happy chappies.” Mary added.

WAG STAR REPLAY

Bill, who was a successful greyhound trainer and Mary now live at Woodend, having moved north from Roxburgh.

With Wag Star at the top of the list Ferguson certainly has a talented bunch of three year old pacers in his barn, including Cormac Leo (Sweet Lou), Da Vinci (Art Major), Huki Fella (Lord Forbes), Major Art (Art Major), Glaucus (Captaintreacherous) and Rustenburg (Captaintreacherous).

Wag Star has now won three of his five starts and run second twice to the unbeaten Ohoka Connor (Sunshine Beach). He’ll step into the big league next week when he races in the G1 Airpark Canterbury Three Year Old Stakes raced over the same distance.

“Looks like another trip up here next week,” Bill said.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink