Ferguson keeps hope alive

[Wandering Eyes]

By Josh Smith – Harness News Desk

Dylan Ferguson has kept himself in the hunt for the New Zealand Junior Drivers Premiership after scoring a winning double at Cambridge Raceway on Wednesday night.

The Waikato horseman reined home Sunset Red to win over 2200m for his employer Graeme Rogerson before steering stablemate Romanee to victory in the following race.

“All of our horses have been racing really well, we just needed that bit of luck,” Ferguson said. “Sunset Red got a great trip. They went hard in front and it worked out perfectly for her.

“Romanee getting the ace draw was the winning of the race. He is a nice little horse and will get better.”

Ferguson brought his season tally to 29 wins on Wednesday, just one win behind premiership leader John Morrison.

With the premiership becoming a tightly tested affair, it could make the New Zealand Junior Driver Championship later this month even more exciting.

“Tonight has given me half a hope (in the premiership),” Ferguson said. “It all depends on how the guys down south go over the weekend. But I’m not going down without a fight anyway.

“With the junior driver championships coming up that gives me an extra two meetings. It could be that weekend that is the deciding factor.”

With three meetings in the South Island every week compared to just the one in the North Island, Ferguson said he has his work cut out to take out the premiership.

“Johnny (Morrison) always travels to Invercargill as well, so they are having upwards of 20 drives a week whereas I have five or six,” Ferguson said.

“I have got to make my ones count.”

While Ferguson was pleased to get the winning double, he was disappointed with the performance of enigmatic trotter Delson, who burnt favourite punters once again.

“It’s back to the drawing board with him again,” Ferguson said. “He won’t be seen for the next few weeks, we have got to try and sort him out.

“He has got a big motor, but he is a headscratcher.”

Rogerson’s other trotter on the night, Miss Slippers, was also backed into favouritism in her contest, however, she faded late to finish fourth.

“She tries hard,” Ferguson said. “The winner (Morgana) is quite a nice horse and she possibly didn’t quite back up from Alexandra Park last week. She had a couple of hard runs up there.

“She still tries hard and wasn’t too far away at the finish. She will race again in a fortnight or maybe even in three weeks.

“She is going to pick-up a race at short notice. She will get her chance.”

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