Peter McKay, the Matamata trainer, was in dazzling form at the weekend. He won feature races at Trentham and Riccarton, where he was successful with four starters.
McKay won the Wellesley Stakes at Trentham on Saturday with Antonio Lombardo. He has also won that race with Clifton Prince (2003), Alamosa (2006) and Vincent Mangano (2007).
The listed Canterbury Stakes with Undisclosed was among his four wins at Riccarton yesterday.
He also won with Estrato (2yr-old), Porrello and Santorielli.
The four wins equalled his best tally in a day set when he won with Undisclosed, Glownight Racer, Artesia and Tabu Soro at Ruakaka on August 25.
McKay races Undisclosed, Antonio Lombardo, Estrato and Santorielli with his wife, Kim, and Trevor Luke, of Christchurch.
The McKays race Porrello.
Antonio Lombardo was a $120,000 purchase at the premier yearling sale at Karaka.
Estrato was at $85,000 purchase at a Gold Coast sale.
He was among five lots bought at the sale by the McKays and Luke.
Another was Alvesta, who won a race for 2yr-olds at Wanganui last month.
"I was keen for Undisclosed to perform well to get into the Two Thousand Guineas and Estrato will go to the Welcome Stakes," McKay said last night.
"Porrello is better over ground and he is in a 2500m race at the Cup meeting."
Undisclosed was ridden yesterday by Sam Spratt.
She is engaged for Hammer Down in the $1 million Two Thousand Guineas on Saturday week.
Craig Grylls who rode Undisclosed to win at Ruakaka will take the mount.
Jason Laking was ruled out of riding at Riccarton yesterday after breaking his wrist.
He was thrown from El De Oro in the birdcage before riding the horse in race 2.
He was then stood down and sent to hospital for an X-ray.
Buddy Lammas had to forgo the engagement for Court Dancer yesterday when unable to make the weight. He was fined $100.
• Trent Busuttin gained his best win since becoming a trainer on his own account when Barside won the $85,000 Wellington Guineas at Trentham on Saturday.
Barside, who was suited by the heavy ground will head to Christchurch for the group one $1 million Two Thousand Guineas.
Busuttin is aware that track conditions at Riccarton are likely to be firm but he said Barside had earned a crack at the race which is the last time it will have government funding which allowed the seven-figure purse.
