After running two close seconds at his last two starts, Wag Star (Sweet Lou) finally got a well-deserved win when he took out the $20,000 Gore Town & Country Club Summer Cup at Gore today.

After beginning well from the thirty metre mark, the Craig Ferguson trained and driven gelding pushed on to take the lead from Cocktails And Caviar.

“He made a good beginning today which was fortunate. With The Big Lebowski behind us we had to try and stay in front of him,” Ferguson said. “He can be a different horse when he finds the front. He travels a wee bit better and switches on.”

With a lap to run, second favourite The Big Lebowski came looking for the lead.

“I handed up at Riverton and it felt we should have shot through to win the race. Sometimes he’s just not quite as good coming off a helmet. I thought we’d take our chance today, keep the advantage and make him (The Big Lebowski) do the hard work outside of us.”

Ferguson says the most pleasing thing about the win was that the gelding fought hard right to the line.

“As everyone knows by now, he has a few quirks. He’s shot through a couple of times to win and let himself down. He actually had to dig deep today because Tim’s one was coming really hard. But he did just that, so I’m very pleased.”

At the end of the 2750 metres staying test, Wag Star had a head advantage over Cocktail And Caviar.

“He’s handling it really well. It’s not taking anything out of him.”

Wag Star is owned by Bill and Pauline Bain and Bill and Mary McDowell.

Ferguson says the horse’s next big aim is the Wyndham Cup at the end of next month.

“We’re just trying to accumulate points for the Country Cups Championship. We’re  taking it week by week at the moment.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink