By Jonny Turner
Craig Ferguson may have to clear a little space in his trophy cabinet before Sunday’s Wingatui trots.
The reinsman has been driving in the best form of his career recently and has collected three Group 1 trophies recently including the Garrards New Zealand Derby on Friday night with We Walk By Faith.
While the conditions on the Wingatui grass may be a world away from the electric atmosphere of elite races at Addington, Ferguson’s winning hopes still look good.
The reinsman combines with two big winning threats in the Kia Ora Campers Pacing Cup (4.15pm) and the Icon Interior Construction Trotting Cup (5.31pm) on Sunday.
Ferguson starts Nutcracker from his own stable on the back on a solid fresh-up fourth, also on grass, at Motukarara.
The mare not only strips fitter for her Wingatui assignment, she has the advantage of starting from the front row, ahead of her key rivals who are off handicaps.
“She is usually a good beginner, so being off the front should be a help to her,” Ferguson said.
“If she can get away well and get a bit of cover, that would be her best go.
“She seems to have come on from that first-up run and I have been quite happy with her.”
“She’s gone well on the grass before too, so hopefully she’s a good chance.”
Ferguson combines with the Amber Hoffman-trained Moment Of What in the Forbury Park Trotting Cup.
The trotter ran to a slick victory at Ascot Park in his latest outing, beating Rata who has gone on to win at group 2 level at Addington since.
The trotter is in the opposite position to Nutcracker, starting off 30m and giving some of his key rivals a head start.
However, Ferguson does not think it is a big factor.
“He has been beginning quite well, so I don’t think the handicap is too much of a worry.”
“Hopefully, he can step away and make it up reasonably quickly.”
“He looks well enough placed in that field and, he has shown he can do a bit of work and that he’s got speed to.”
“He would have to be a handy chance.”
Punters may see Moment Of What is unplaced in all three of his prior attempts on grass. Those efforts came in the first three starts of the horse’s career, when he was learning and making mistakes in his races.
Ferguson takes a handful of drives outside of his cup assignments. Grass-track specialist Nyla looks the strongest chance among them in Race 8, the Taieri Wool and Skin (1998) Ltd Mobile Pace (4.44pm).
