Micheal Ferguson, one of the State’s best young drivers, has no hesitation in declaring that four-year-old Americanbootscoota is on the doorstep of a highly successful career and he is confident of driving him to victory in the Book Your Next Function at Gloucester Park Westbred Pace on Friday night.
Ferguson was full of praise for the gelding, trained at Boyanup by Dennis Roche, and said that he gave him “a really good feel” when he drove him for the first time in a 2100m event at Bunbury on Tuesday of last week.
Americanbootscoota began speedily from barrier four and burst to the front after 350m before going on to win from veteran pacer Shardons Rocket at a 1.56.9 rate over 2100m, with final quarters in 27.5sec. and 28.3sec. That was the gelding’s first start for three months.
“He’s a really nice horse who has got good gate speed and should lead and prover hard to beat on Friday night. Ginger (Roche) said that he would improve with the first-up run.
“I don’t think that anything will cross him, even though Extreme Dreams (barrier two) and Paid Twice (six) get out quickly. He’s definitely a horse on the way up and I’d say that if he keeps going the way he’s going, he will be set for the big four-year-old races later this year.”
Ferguson has also been engaged to drive the Matt Scott-trained pair of Brookies Jet (race one) and Jaxon Fella (race five) and Gary Hall senior’s smart mare Delightful Jade in the Steelo’s Bistro Pace.
“Brookies Jet probably will work forward from barrier four and sit outside Rycroft,” Ferguson said. “I think he is in career-best form and he was unlucky when held up and fourth behind Kurious two starts ago. I expect him to run a good race.
“Jaxon Fella is going better than his form reads and is a good each-way chance.”
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
