Mckay’s methods work wonders for Alvesta

Victory in the $50,000 open sprint at New Plymouth on Saturday week could earn speedy Matamata four-year-old Alvesta, partowned in the Manawatu, a tilt at the Group 3 Darley Plate at Ellerslie next month.

But don’t expect part-owner and trainer Peter McKay to put any pressure on the General Nediym gelding in the interim.

McKay has found a successful formula of backing right off Alvesta’s trackwork once he has him at full fitness and the results since have confirmed he’s got it right.

Ridden by Michael Coleman at Te Rapa on Saturday, Alvesta won the $15,000 r75 1200m, his third success from his past four starts.

“He keeps stepping up,” said McKay, who trains in partnership with son Jacob.

“I don’t even gallop him now between races, hence why we’ve backed him up 10 days between races.

“We’d had problems getting weight off him and had to gallop him to get him up to race fitness. Now that he’s there, we just pacework him and swim him to keep him up to the mark.

“I don’t know how many starts I can keep doing this for, but he seems to be enjoying it.”

Alvesta is raced by Peter McKay and his wife Kim in partnership with Michelle Grant and Glen Jenkins, of Palmerston North, Andrew Macdonald, of Ashhurst, and Canterbury Jockey Club CEO Tim Mills.

Meanwhile, promising Pentire filly Calypso earned herself a tilt at the $70,000 Group 3 Mr Tiz Trophy (1200m) at Ellerslie next month with a defiant win in Saturday’s $12,500 1200 for threeyear-olds at Te Rapa.

Matamata trainer Chad Ormsby said he thought Calypso had come to the end of her preparation leading into the race, but he is now likely to give her a brief let-up before extending her campaign by one or two races.

“I had some question marks, but she just kept on giving,” said Ormsby, who trains in partnership with Michael Moroney.

“Jockey Johnathon Parkes said, with 100m to go, she was gone, but she just kept on fighting.”

Ormsby said he is hoping for some rain to ease track conditions ahead of the Mr Tiz Trophy on March 9 and a possible shot at the $70,000 Group 3 Windsor Park Stud Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa on April 27.