Racing: NZ Cup looks within grasp

The closest Peter Ferguson has been to driving the winner of the New Zealand Cup was in 2002 when he drove Gracious Knight around the birdcage at the post-race presentations.

Ferguson jumped into the sulky to handle the prolific sit-sprint pacer, while winning driver Todd Mitchell basked in the glory with the owners.

The New Zealand Cup is the race every trainer and driver wants to win.

Mitchell has dominated the event - winning four of the past six - but Ferguson is quietly confident he has the equine horsepower to challenge his good friend and fellow Waikato-based horseman.

Ferguson teamed up with Mi Muchacho to record a determined front-running victory in the $20,000 Spring Cup at Alexandra Park on Friday night, scoring by a neck over the fast-finishing Just An Excuse.

A further neck away in third position was Myron.

The 2200m (standing start) was covered in 2:47.8 (mile rate 2:02.8) with closing 800m and 400m sectionals of 57.9 and 27.7 seconds.

Mi Muchacho was impressive in his first race outing after a five-month break and Ferguson knew immediately afterwards that the 5-year-old was in good health.

"Dick Anderson [trainer] was up in the winners' circle doing the official after-race presentation, so I washed the horse down for him," said Ferguson.

"He tried to kill me in the wash by kicking and carrying on, so the race didn't hurt him.

"I thought he was a little fat coming into it because he had had just the two trial runs, but things fell into place.

"He stepped quickly and I pressed forward and led and when Maurice [McKendry] challenged me with Myron I had no intention of giving up the front.

"I backed off the speed and got away with a real soft mid-race half [800m] and when a horse of this class gets a soft run in front he's virtually impossible to run down.

"It was a funny race because no one really wanted to give their horse a real gut-busting run.

"We're seven weeks out from the New Zealand Cup and this horse will continue to improve with more racing opportunities.

"I am not sure what Dick wants to do after he races here in the North Shore Stakes on October 14.

"Ideally, we'd like to stay up here for as long as possible and if there is another race available for him in Auckland we may start in that.

"The other option is to head to Christchurch and race in the Ashburton Flying Stakes on October 24.

"Dick knows how to peak this horse for the feature races so I'll be guided by him.

"It'll be the first time Mi Muchacho has raced outside of the Auckland-Waikato area when he heads south to Christchurch before the New Zealand Cup.

"I'm sure he'll handle the travelling and racing away from his home base. He's a very tough and genuine racehorse.

"Put it this way, he can make his own luck in a race, and when you're competing for $400,000 it does give you quite a bit of confidence to be driving a horse that can be put into the race."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY