Extra care pays off with Ferritts Sister

TENDER loving care helped Roxburgh mare Ferritts Sister back into the winner’s circle at Oamaru yesterday.

The Geoff and Jude Knighttrained mare returned to winning form when she sprinted along the passing lane to win race 9 by more than two lengths for driver Matthew Williamson.

Ferritts Sister impressed with a debut win at Winton last December but had not managed to get another victory until yesterday.

She has been plagued by a minor fetlock problem that required some special attention from her trainers.

‘‘She has got an immaturity problem in a fetlock. It is not a major problem. We just keep on top of it with a lot of massage and by keeping it warm.

‘‘She gets a bit spoilt, really,’’ Jude Knight said.

Ferritts Sister won comfortably, holding out Clifton Tactic and hot favourite Just Dance.

Her halfbrother, Fiery Ferret, went within a length of providing Northern Southland breederowner Kelvin Reed with a double at the meeting.

Fiery Ferret fell just short when Igottastart made a surprise return to the winner’s list in race 6. Like Ferretts Sister, Igottastar dashed along the passing lane and won at $29 odds for driver John Morrison.

The victory was her first for Waimate ownertrainer Trevor Cleave since March, 2016. Injury niggles had limited the mare to 10 starts since then.

‘‘I don’t know if she is back to her best, but she is over her injury problems so that’s the main thing,’’ Cleave said.

The style of Motu Top Mach’s victory showed he could be up to the better class of 3yrolds but Anderson is not convinced about lining up in the Sires Stakes Series.

‘‘We have been talking about it, but we are just not sure,’’ he said.

‘‘He is good enough to go, but is it what we should be doing with a horse that is still only 2? He wasn’t born until the end of November.

‘‘It is a big call to go, but it is also a big call not to go.

‘‘ In my opinion, the Sires Stakes is for horses that have been racing at the top level the whole way through.’’

Franco Huntington’s driver, Anthony MacDonald, was charged with careless driving and fined $400. The visiting North American driver was also fined $200 for shifting ground in the previous race behind Doubt Me Not. — NZ Harness News