Matamata trainer Peter McKay cut it close when arriving at Hastings in time for the Fasttrack Insurance 2000 on Wednesday, but stable runner Sagunto (NZ) (O’Reilly) showed he wasn’t fazed by the short turnaround when recording his second career win.
“We were quite lucky actually because we only got here 45 minutes before the race, luckily he travels well,” McKay quipped.
Not only was it a close call making it to the race, but the winning margin was just as fine.
The son of O’Reilly was taken straight to the lead for jockey Shaun McKay, where the duo were able to dictate terms throughout and hold off the late challenge of Uncle Bro to win by a nose.
“He’s a tough horse and it was a good ride,” McKay said.
Sagunto is appreciating the step up in distance this preparation, recording two wins and a placing from four starts over 2000m.
“We had to put him over ground because he would get back amongst the horses and he doesn’t breathe that well,” McKay said.
“We put blinkers on him to make sure he would go forward and that’s when he won a couple of starts back.”
Sagunto was purchased by McKay, and his wife Kim, out of Waikato Stud’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale draft for $120,000.
