By Duane Ranger.
Wendy Ferguson will be attempting to achieve her season target of 10 wins when the Cambridge trainer lines up two horses at her home-town meeting on Thursday night.
Ferguson has $4,000 claimer Westburn Courage starting from gate two in the feature pace – the $7,500 Ray O’Connor Memorial for C2 and faster 4yo-plus pacers.
That’s seventh event – three races earlier Ferguson will line up $7,000 claimer, Dragon Lady in the $6,500 B-Shift Mid-Winter Bash Handicap C1 and faster 4yo-plus trotters.
“We have had a few issues with both horses since they raced last so I’m not going in with any confidence. It’s nothing too major, I just hope they are back on track,” the 52-year-old said.
When asked which of the two was the better winning chance, she replied: “They are both claimers so that’s the way the system works. You have to expect that every time they race.
They will both need a little luck in the running, but to be honest I can’t split them,” the Waikato horsewoman said.
Ferguson took out her training licence at the start of the season, but together with husband Peter they have worked out of their own training complex for the last six years.
With four meetings left in the North Island in 2014-2015 Ferguson has so far had 113 starters to the races for nine wins, 11 seconds, 10 thirds and won $65,393 in stakes.
“It’s been a good season. I was aiming for 10 wins so I’m not far away. I think my drivers have let me down though,” Ferguson joked.
Toughest for Westburn Courage to beat on Thursday will be the Brent Mangos trained and driven Rockn Ruby.
The small field should negate her 30m back-mark, and she was a beaten favourite from the same handicap on the track a fortnight ago Mangos said she was close to winning last start and the 4-year-old should make amends on Thursday.
The Mach Three mare loves the track having won three times.
She’s also won seven of her 17 starts over the distance.
Four Starzzz Shiraz will also be tough to roll from his ace draw. He was a gutsy winner at Cambridge last start when scoring by a whopping 6-1/4 lengths. His 1:59.4 mile rate was the fastest of the night.
The Todd Mitchell trained and driven Cullies Delight can’t be ignored either. The 6-year-old Bettor’s Delight mare returned some eye-catching sectionals when finishing seventh when favourite at Alexandra Park last start (July 3).
He finished just over three lengths behind the winner from an awkward second row draw, but still managed to record the fastest fourth quarter (28.9), last half (56.9) and last mile (1:59.1).
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