Barcelo
Kenton Wright Photography
Peter McKay will know on Monday whether he will be heading to Riccarton next month.
The Matamata trainer's travel plans hinge on Barcelo's performance in the Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa.
McKay's confidence in his Gr.1 Sothys New Zealand 2000 Guineas hope was dented last time out when the three-year-old finished seventh in the Gr.2 Hawke's Bay Guineas.
"We're just hoping that it was the track at Hastings that tripped him up," he said. "He was going well on the turn and then he changed stride and looked to be struggling in the ground.
"The race on Monday will tell us whether we're going to Christchurch – he doesn't have to win, he just has to run well and he does seem bright and happy to me."
His well-performed stablemate Amarula will also step out at Te Rapa in the Seafood Bazaar 1600.
"He'll definitely run and then there's a good race at Tauranga for him," said McKay, referring to the Gr.2 Preston Rowe Patterson, Property Brokers Tauranga Stakes on November 12.
Meanwhile, the stable is expecting a good showing from the talented De Niro when he resumes at Pukekohe on Friday in the Mount Shop 1200.
"He had a trial last time around before he raced and won first-up at Ellerslie, but he's close enough to run very well," McKay said.
De Niro has won three races in a career that has been restricted by injury to just eight starts.
"He had to have bone chips removed last winter and he's come back well from that," McKay said. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Matamata trainer's travel plans hinge on Barcelo's performance in the Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa.
McKay's confidence in his Gr.1 Sothys New Zealand 2000 Guineas hope was dented last time out when the three-year-old finished seventh in the Gr.2 Hawke's Bay Guineas.
"We're just hoping that it was the track at Hastings that tripped him up," he said. "He was going well on the turn and then he changed stride and looked to be struggling in the ground.
"The race on Monday will tell us whether we're going to Christchurch – he doesn't have to win, he just has to run well and he does seem bright and happy to me."
His well-performed stablemate Amarula will also step out at Te Rapa in the Seafood Bazaar 1600.
"He'll definitely run and then there's a good race at Tauranga for him," said McKay, referring to the Gr.2 Preston Rowe Patterson, Property Brokers Tauranga Stakes on November 12.
Meanwhile, the stable is expecting a good showing from the talented De Niro when he resumes at Pukekohe on Friday in the Mount Shop 1200.
"He had a trial last time around before he raced and won first-up at Ellerslie, but he's close enough to run very well," McKay said.
De Niro has won three races in a career that has been restricted by injury to just eight starts.
"He had to have bone chips removed last winter and he's come back well from that," McKay said. – NZ Racing Desk.