Ferguson looking for another big Friday night at Addington

[Wandering Eyes]

By Michael Guerin

Craig Ferguson knows he might need another miracle at Addington tonight.

But the difference between the miracle the Southland driver pulled off with Marketplace last Friday and the one he needs with Wag Star tonight is this time it could be the difference between winning and losing.

Ferguson has had a wonderful year in the sulky with his flagship horse being superstar three-year-old Marketplace, trained by his close friend Regan Todd.

Ferguson found a pathway paved in gold in the Group 1 Sires’ Stakes Final at Addington last Friday when he weaved through from the second line to lead after 400m.

In reality Marketplace probably still would have won but such was the margin at the line Ferguson’s early awareness turned a maybe into a certainty.

Tonight he faces another early disadvantage with Wag Star, who he trains, starting off a 10m handicap in a capacity field in the $100,000 Hydroflow Country Cups Championship. 

Wag Star has been battling handicaps and poor draws all autumn, often booming home late but Ferguson says there is one key difference between his tactics tonight and Marketplace last Friday.

“I think his best chance of running out a hard 3200m is being driven quiet in the first half of the race,” says Ferguson.

“I wouldn’t want to be taking off on him over the long trip and usually in this race they run hard so I think it will suit him being driven that way.

“But in a full field that still means he will need luck and maybe the right cart into the  race.”

Alongside fellow 10m marker Pinseeker, Wag Star has been a promising newcomer to the open class pool and look like be belongs, albeit Pinseeker has properly dived into that pool and made a bigger splash.

Either could win tonight but while their 10m handicaps don’t sound daunting over 3200m in the full field it could mean settling 15 lengths from the leaders so if either can make a quick beginning it may enormously enhance their chances.

They are joined back in the 10m mark by North Island Country Cups winner The Surfer, who has raced well at Addington before, and Betterthancash. 

All those off that 10m handicap are aided by the front line containing plenty of horses possibly not in their best form after the long, magnificent but tiring Country Cups series.

That may allow for a rarity, a major 3200m winner coming from off the marker pegs, with the $5 Box Seat Boost for Pinseeker (available in TAB futures) looking very fair money for a pacer who finished fifth in the Race by betcha.

While Fugitive is red hot to win tonight’s other Group 1, the Avon City Ford Welcome Stakes, the Group 3 Heather Williams Memorial for the trotting mares has a lot more moving parts.

Favourite Eurostyle has been superb this autumn and could be an open class factor in the second half of the season as our elite trotting ranks start to reshape. 

Her peak performance would probably win tonight but she does meet some high class rivals in Hidden Talent, Nellie Doyle, Julie Jaccka and the returning Empire City.

The latter spent the back end of last season chasing home Australian champion Keayang Zahara and comes in tonight without a trial.

“I don’t think that will bother her because she is very well and ready to go,” says trainer Phil Williamson.

“But she is up against some good mares who are race fit. She can win but it won’t be easy.”

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