Partners Craig Ferguson and Sheree Tomlinson drove back to back winners at Wyndham today.
Ferguson who is only in his second year training, trained and drove Bonnie Medley to win the Titiroa Transport Fillies and Mares Mobile Pace while Tomlinson drove Sem's Delight to win the very next race – the Grand Hotel Roxburgh Fillies and Mares Mobile Pace.
Bonnie Medley is raced by The Southern Medley Syndicate which was put together by Ferguson and good mate Jamie Campbell.
Bonnie Medley returning to the birdcage Photo by Bruce Stewart
"The syndicate includes on whole heap of mates that have never raced horses before so that's half the buzz getting them involved. They're from Wyndham and Invercargill," said Ferguson.
This is the young trainer's fifth winner from only 18 starters at the races and he's had to move from his father's property in Wyndham to a larger establishment. He now leases the late Bill Grice's property at Lorneville where he's been for the last month.
"I was set up at Dad's and its only set up for a handful of horses and I was just getting too many horses. I've got twelve horses there at the moment, mainly young ones."
All the money in today's race was on Ideal Legs and first starter Yankee Diva. Bonnie Medley started fourth favourite but Ferguson was relatively confident of a good showing.
"She's had two starts now where she's sat in the trail and the leader has stopped. She flashed home last week and went real nice so we thought she'd go a good race today until we drew one on the second row again. They went fast up front and it opened up a bit."
Bonnie Medley is by Changeover out of Cassie's Medley, a lightly raced Badlands Hanover mare. This is the family of Bo Scot Medley the winner of seven races, Bold Cruiser (7 wins) and Badlands Jewel the winner of eight races including the 2008 Group One Nevele R Fillies Final.
"We'll look at the Drivers Day in Invercargill. You've got to be good to win those penalty free races but the way she went today I think she'll step up."
A race later Sheree Tomlinson drove the Michael House trained Sem's Delight to win.
The junior driver took the well bred mare straight to the front and stayed there right to the finish line beating Sweet As by a length and quarter.
Sem's Delight winning at Wyndham Photo by Bruce Stewart
The win was some compensation for the bad luck the horse and driver had the previous week on the course.
"She got the one one but the parked one in front of us didn't give us a run into it and it was too hard coming from the back," said Tomlinson.
At the top of the straight the daughter of Hot Shoe Shuffle found a kick and was too good in the end.
Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing