Unorthodox Group programme reaping rewards along the way

Matamata horseman Peter McKay is taking Amarula along an unconventional path toward Group One targets later in the year.

He admits his Hawke’s Bay carnival-focussed approach is different, but it is tailor-made for his Hastings hope.

“It might seem strange to have him up at this time of the season, but even though he’s gelded he still gets quite burly so we’ll keep him ticking over and he’s enjoying it,” said McKay, who races the son of Thorn Park with his wife Kim.

In the hands of their son Shaun, Amarula collected his second success from his last three appearances when he defied his 60kg impost to win Saturday’s Skycity Hamilton at Te Rapa.

“That was a huge effort to carry that weight,” McKay said. “It was nice to see him relax and finish it off and I’m looking forward to getting him over more ground.

“I don’t think he’ll get in the first one (the Tarzino Trophy) at Hastings so we’ll look at the mile (Windsor Park Plate) on the middle day and then the 2000 (Livamol Classic) on the last day.”

Amarula sat one off the fence near the pace and, after challenging 300 metres from home, he had enough in reserve to score by a head.

Adriatic Pearl followed up her previous Tauranga victory with another tidy effort to come from last for the runner-up cheque with the winner’s stablemate Stokers Rock third.

“The easing of the track helped him,” McKay said. “That was a nice run, he got to the line really well.”