El Pescado is making encouraging progress toward his autumn goal.

The Tauranga talent went close a couple of times during his last preparation and, following a break, he showed he had come back in good order with a last-start third in the Listed Flying Handicap at Awapuni.

“I was happy with him, he went to the line pretty well and he worked nicely again this morning,” trainer Stuart Manning said. “His main aim this time up is the Easter Stakes.”

The Gr.2 Manco-sponsored set weights and penalties feature will be run at Ellerslie on April 22.

El Pescado has won five of his 21 starts and he also has runner-up finishes in the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes the Gr.2 Tauranga Stakes to his credit.

In the meantime, Manning has two decent prospects at the Waipa meeting at Te Awamutu on Wednesday in Keep The Moment (NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race) and Deejay Mac (Te Ata Rest Home 1580).

Keep The Moment has collected three cheques from six appearances and she is proven in heavy going.

“She took a long time to learn the game and the penny is now starting to drop with her, she’s not very big but she is game,” Manning said.

Deejay Mac finished runner-up on debut at Poverty Bay in February before a couple of failures after being forced over too much extra ground at his subsequent two starts.

“He missed the jump by six lengths and then flashed home for second and he’s had excuses since,” Manning said.