Bred by Bill and Mary McDowell and owned by the McDowells and Bill and Pauline Bain, the 5-year-old gelding by Sweet Lou has won seven of his 26 starts.
He has also been placed in four listed or group features — the Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes, the Uncut Gems (twice) and the Superstars Championship.
"It seems like he’s got a little bit better again. The runs he had towards his last preparation were really good. He was going some good races early this season,
" Ferguson said.
Wag Star will start this campaign in the $40,000 group 3 Hannon Memorial at Oamaru tomorrow.
"We have no expectations for him at this stage. Even the Junior FFA. It’d be nice to have him up there for Cup Week. If he makes the New Zealand Cup we’ll start him in that. With Leap To Fame and Swayzee in there the expectations of winning a New Zealand Cup are not very high."
Other options leading into Cup Week include the $40,000 group 3 Methven Cup at Methven on October 5, the group 2 $60,000 Ashburton Flying Stakes on October 27 and the $100,000 group 2 Kaikoura Cup on November 3.
"Something like the Invercargill Cup would be a nice race we’d like to have a crack at as well."
Early in his career Wag Star was often taken to the lead and had the ability to run his opposition into the ground.
"As he was going through the grades you had to drive him like the best horse, because he was. We learned pretty quick that you can’ t be doing that, especially when you’re up against good company."
Ferguson said he noticed Wag Star was more versatile these days.
"Even in his work he’s learning to come out and power home, so he’s becoming a bit more of an allrounder which he needs to be, especially against those good ones. You can’t out-tough them." — Southern Harness Racing
By Bruce Stewart
