Stuart Ferrie leads in his first winner, Blazing Light (Rafeef). (Picture: Candiese Lenferna)
Stuart Ferrie’s career as a trainer started officially at the beginning of this month, following the retirement of his long-time guv’nor Dennis Drier, and in just his third meeting with runners he got off the mark with a double at today’s Hollywoodbets Greyville poly meeting.
Stuart’s first winner as a trainer came with just his fourth runner when the big Rafeef gelding Blazing Light stayed on gamely under Sean Veale to win a 1900m handicap by 0,40 lengths from the poly specialist Caesura.
“It was a very special moment,” said Sean Veale who was thrilled to have ridden Stuart’s first winner. “I Saluted like I had just won the July because the feeling was unbelievable, it was like I had just had my first winner.”
Veale has been working with Stuart for some seven years as he has been the long-time stable jockey for Dennis Drier.
Quietly spoken Stuart is never one to be over emotional but said he was particularly happy his first winner ran in the colours of Eric Buhr, a long time supporter of the Drier yard. Gill Drier was also fittingly one of the part-owners.
Stuart is a big fan of Master Of My Fate as a sire, as he was one of the best Dennis Drier trained, so it was fitting that the Master Of My Fate gelding Proud Master clinched him his first double.
It came in the last race of the day over 1200m under a superb ride by Veale.
He dropped the big horse back after some early scrimmaging, which allowed him to find the rail. From midfield he steered him inside of horses turning for home. Proud Master cruised in to the lead with the minimum of encouragement from Veale and won easing up by 0,80 lengths from the Cape Town horse Voldemort.
Eric Buhr was also a part-owner in this winner, who ran in the colours of Mr and Mrs Doug Steyn.
