Ferguson Racing talk yearlings, 2YO trotters, syndicates and Next Gen

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

At the 2025 National Yearling Sales, Jo and Dylan Ferguson took a big punt.

Under their Ferguson Racing banner, they outlaid $200,000 on four yearlings.

"It was sink or swim for us," says Jo Ferguson, "we spent a lot of money."

The biggest buys were two Breckon Farm-bred Bold Eagles called Apollo Eleven ($90,000) and Ellie Diamond ($60,000).Their other purchases were an Always B Miki - Magical filly ($25,000) and an American Ideal - Readallaboutit filly for $20,000.

Last Friday the Fergusons took four two-year-old trotters including Apollo Eleven and Ellie Diamond to the trials at Alexandra Park. Three of them qualified.

Apollo Eleven won the 1700 mobile in 2:14.6, three quarters of a length ahead of Ellie Diamond (2:14.8).

Their other two Inta Rhythm and I'm Annie finished fourth and fifth in the five-horse trial but still under the qualifying time.

"Inta Rhythm didn't get her ticket, she was too far off the gate - it was her first time behind the mobile," says Ferguson.

Inta Rhythm was a "cheap buy" privately while I'm Annie is owned by Auckland Trotting Club president Jamie MacKinnon.

"We've had her since she was weanling ... she's a three quarter to Kiss And Run," says Ferguson.

Now retired, Kiss And Run won five races for the training partnership.

Ideally the Fergusons would like to have all four two-year-old trotters in action at Alexandra Park in March and April.  

If that happens they won't lack for support.  

After the Fergusons' sales purchases and with syndication being a huge part of what they do they had to find owners - a lot of them.

"It was a bit overwhelming at times."

"We ended up getting over 100 individuals in those trotters just by ourselves, let alone the other syndicates involved," says Ferguson.

The ownership groups, including many first timers, are a diverse lot.

The Ferguson Racing Super Six syndicate, for instance, involves syndicate members having an interest in six separate horses, with people taking "micro shares".

"The great thing is that you can have horses racing all year round," says Ferguson, "some horses are spelling when others are racing and vice verse."

The six horses are their four sales purchases as well as Inta Rhytm and another two-year-old trotting filly Great Aspirations.

Apollo Eleven and Inta Rhythm's owners also include jockey Craig Grylls and well-known thoroughbred trainer Robbie Patterson while among Ellie Diamond's owners are high profile racing media personalities Brittany Graham and Caitlyn O'Sullivan-Doyle.

"That is a ladies' only syndicate," says Ferguson, "the bubbles are going to be flowing and we are going to have a lot of fun on race-day!"

Having fun is a key selling point with big syndicates though the Fergusons know, after their hefty expenditure last year, how critical is it to have results on the track too.

The two Bold Eagles are Next Gen eligible. All Next Gen eligible 2YOs get a $5000 pay-out for their second race-day start. With other bonuses also available, the Fergusons are keen to get "their babies" out on the track and to see what they've got.

There's a 2YO Trot at Alexandra Park programmed for March 20 as well as the $30,000 Young Guns Prelude for the 2YO Trotters in April, ahead of the $100,000 Group 1 Easton Light Classic on May 8.