Ferguson has Nutcracker primed for Southern Surge
Garrick Knight - Raceform • August 1st, 2025 3:19 PM • 4 min read
Craig Ferguson’s post-holiday blues might be alleviated with a win at Winton on Sunday.
The skilled Wyndham horseman has just returned from an Australian trip with employee and good friend Mark Hurrell that took in the Inter Dominion Finals in Brisbane, an AFL game in Sydney and NRL games in Sydney and Canberra.
“It was a great trip but there’s nothing like the cold of home to bring you back to reality quickly,” he told RaceForm.
Ferguson will have five runners at Winton for the first day of the big Southern Surge series, one which has drastically turned around the fortunes of August racing in the deep south.
A huge 133 horses are in the fields, up from just 59 at the commensurate meeting last year.
“I couldn’t believe it when I looked through the nominations just how many horses were nominated. But I guess everyone had the same idea as us, which was to bring a couple back in earlier than maybe we would have.”
Stable favourite Nutcracker resumes in the day’s last race, a mile event for pacers rated 51 to 65. She’s had two workouts to prepare, and Ferguson says he is expecting a big first-up showing.
“She’s ready to go; we’ve given her plenty of work and she’s had couple of decent workouts.”
Saucy Delight, Bubble Me and Prosperity give the stable three chances in the $15,000 mile for one-win pacers.
Saucy Delight was a nice winner on his home track three starts ago before two runs at Addington where he galloped in the score-up twice.
“That was my fault because I didn’t realise that they were trialling a new circling protocol at Addington. He needs to be up on the gate otherwise he can blow to pieces.
“We were sent back to the trials last week and he was good as gold, so hopefully he behaves this week. The ability is there but the ringcraft is not.”
Bubble Me is fresh-up and trialled well while Ferguson was away, and Prosperity will hopefully benefit from a second line draw and being driven for one run.
“I don’t think he’s a leader – his best races have been coming from behind and we have the draw for that this week.”
Rounding out Ferguson’s team is newcomer Jayar Mac, who is now officially in his name after one start as a temporary boarder yielded a minor placing last week.
“I’ll be interested to see how he goes. I was pleased with last week’s run, but I would have liked another week to get a couple more fast works into him.”
Ferguson hadn’t had time to absorb his six outside drives when interviewed, but felt on face value former stable member Netherton Franco was probably the best of them for Amber Hoffman.
“I drove her last time and she felt a lot more like what I know she is capable of from when I trained her.”
