Smokin hot to trot

Bruce Stewart Contributor

Smokin Bandar (Monkey Bones) won his twelfth race at the Omakau harness racing course today when he took out the $30,000 Andrew May Contracting/Alexandra New World FFA.

Smokin Bandar parading before his win at Omakau today (Darrell Phibbs Photo)

In a day that favoured those horses close to the front, trainer driver Craig Ferguson got to the lead with Smokin Bandar before handing up to Time Up The Hill. As Majestic Man applied the heat on Time Up The Hill Ferguson sat smokin’ his pipe in the trail.

“Most of the winners were coming from the front end. In a race like that you can’t get too far back against those good ones, so it worked out ideal. He was travelling good at the 400,” Ferguson said.

When the passing lane presented itself, Smokin Bandar got the inside run and went on to win by three quarters of a length from Jimmy Carter.

“The leader got held up a little so we got held up a fraction, but I was pretty confident once I got the gap. He’s got that high speed and he was always going to pick them up.”

The winning time was 2-26.8.

“It’s probably the most professional he’s been. To get off the gate like he did, take a trail, relax and he also trotted good.”

Smokin Bandar could head to the $40,000 Group Three Southern Lights at the Northern Southland meeting at Ascot Park on January 18^th.

“We haven’t made too much of a plan just yet. We take it race by race with him because he’s made mistakes in the past. In his last two runs he’s trotted really well. Over 2700 metres (distance of the Southern Light) you probably have to drive him more conservatively.”

The now eight year old is owned by Tom and Julie Kilkelly with Holly and Shea McKenzie.

Earlier in the day the same colours were worn by Captain Meister (Captaintreacherous. Owned by Tom and Julie with Alan and Keri Harper, he won his second race in as many starts.

“They’re over the moon. Tom and Julie had two winners today and a galloping winner (Leave It To Me) yesterday, so they are having a good run at the moment. It’s good because they put so much into the game.”