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A heady ride to secure victory on grand campaigner Antonio Lombardo at Tauranga on Saturday may have earned apprentice Shaun McKay a crack in stakes company on the venerable galloper.

McKay showed plenty of initiative to slide the six-year-old gelding forward during the middle stages of Saturday’s open 1200 metre event to avoid being trapped wide on the moderate pace set by surprise leader Forefront. That proved the winning of the race as the two dictated proceedings from thereon with Antonio Lombardo doing best in a driving finish to put his head in front on the line and secure his 11th career victory from 43 raceday starts.

“It was a great ride by Shaun as he did exactly the right thing when they slowed up after a few hundred metres then kept him nicely balanced in the run home and got the best out of him,” noted McKay’s proud brother Jacob who prepares the galloper in partnership with the pair’s father Peter.

“He is a horse that likes to be on the speed and seems to fight best when he is put in the race. The pattern on the day suited horses with that style so thankfully he was good enough to take advantage of it.”

The victory was the third in the gelding’s current campaign that started back in August although he shows no signs of weariness at this stage.

“He’s a funny horse in that when you put him in the paddock for a spell he sulks,” explained McKay.

“He just loves being around the stable and thrives on the daily routine so while he is going so well we will press on with him.

“Provided he comes through this run well it’s likely we will back him up at Awapuni this weekend as there is a nice black type race that will suit him down to the ground.

“We had told Shaun if he won on him at Tauranga he could keep the ride for Awapuni and seeing as he did everything right I’m pretty sure he will get the job.”

Saturday’s target is the Listed Fairdale/Goodwood Studs Flying Handicap over 1400 metres which is one of the support races on the card that features the Gr. 1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes, a race in which Antonio Lombardo ran second to Anabandana in 2011.

McKay also reported that class galloper Puccini had come through his effort for fourth at Bendigo on Saturday in fine style.

“It was a super run under his 60 kilogram impost,” he said.

“Damian (Lane) said he would have been even closer if he hadn’t been hampered just as he was really starting to wind up near the finish.

“We will have to wait and see how he comes through the race now before we make a decision where he goes next but there are several options we are looking at.”