Crackerjack steps up at Alexandra Park

[Wandering Eyes]

By Michael Guerin

Dylan Ferguson admits Crackerjack is going to need to improve to warrant racing our best three-year-old trotters again this season.

The good thing is Ferguson thinks that improvement is almost certain.

The three-year-old recorded the third win of his career with perfect manners in his Classique Landscapers Metro Trotters Heat at Alexandra Park on Friday night, skying away to an easy win with Dylan’s father Peter in the sulky.

Being a Metro Trot heat the next target for Crackerjack is an easy decision, the $35,000 final next Friday but what comes later will be up to the son of Majestic Son himself.

Crackerjack was initially rated an average to better than average three-year-old by Dyan and wife/training partner Jo but when his improvement curve started they chanced their arm in the Northern Trotting Derby.

“That kicked his arse a bit so we have taken things along quietly getting him back to where he is now,” says Ferguson.

“So we won’t be rushing to be taking on Meant To Be [Derby winner] any time soon and he will have to show us he is at that level before we would plan to go down south.

“But we don’t really need to travel too much with him.

“He can race for almost $20,000 any week we like at Alexandra Park and would be qualified for the Golden Gait series so he has a lot of options here.

“He is a typical trotter and getting him to this stage has been a lot about maturity and the top two inches and now that is coming right we think he will keep improving.”

Ferguson says Crackerjack is “three-quarters owned in Australia” so that is another option for him eventually but he and Jo will have no shortage of horses in training regardless of where Friday night’s winner ends up in a year or so.

“We have 18 in work now which is actually too many for winter but a few months ago we have 25 and that is the sort of summer numbers we want to be training so we are getting plenty of support.”

Crackerjack started a night of Waikato domination of the Alexandra Park trotting events with Dragonstone and Con Grazia Love also winning their features.

Dragonstone showed ability for trainer Arna Donnelly last season and looks to have strengthened with how she won the second Metro heat in very similar front-running fashion, albeit more narrowly, than Crackerjack.

And fellow Waikato mare Con Grazia Love was dazzling winning the main trot after being backed into hot favouritism.

Her front line ace drawn was of no use as she was last of the bunch with 500m to go but unwound brilliantly in the hands of Emily Johnson for a stunning victory.

The night also saw star driver Zachary Butcher move to 1100 career New Zealand wins with Tyson in the opening event.

View the full article