His brother, Peter, might have been winning the New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on Saturday, but John McKay was kicking some goals of his own at Cromwell yesterday.
McKay prepared Avechii to win the opening race on yesterday's card, a 1220m maiden, even if he thought the day would never come for the 4yr-old son of Strategic Image.
''He's always shown plenty at home but he's come to the races and wound himself up.''
Avechii provided Catherine Stalker, of Oxford, with her first winner as a thoroughbred owner, although she has plenty of experience with ex-racehorses such as Quantum Dude in the show ring.
McKay said the main problem with Avechii was his inability to remain calm on race day.
''He just winds himself up. He doesn't settle at all.
''He's done nothing but walk the fence all morning, and then when the speakers and that started this morning, he's just been on the prowl something diabolical.''
Avechii has shown a preference for leading, and that panned out with jockey Rebecca Black.''
That's about all he does. He's one-paced and jumps and runs. Today they left him alone early and he had a bit of a kick.''
Another horse who enjoys leading is Petty Lane, who is in her final season of racing for Ascot Park trainer Lisa Vaughan and The Trinny Syndicate.
Petty Lane will return to the North Island at the end of this season to become a broodmare, although she might be mated with Raise The Flag at White Robe Lodge at North Taieri before her trip north, Vaughan said.
Jockey Ashley Frye has had a good association with the 7yr-old. She has been aboard for four of Petty Lane's nine career wins.
''The horse has got a bit of respect for her. She doesn't bully her,'' Vaughan said.
''She just jumps out, doing things on her own terms, and Ashley has good hands and gets on well with her.''
Ashburton trainer Cheri Trembath reckons there is plenty of racing left in Lamaze after her win in the $15,000 Cromwell Cup.
The 7yr-old Pyrus mare has been doing her best to pay her own way since joining Trembath in July last year, running out of the first five placings only once in 11 starts.
''She seems to be copping [the racing]. She's raced regularly ever since she's been with me,'' Trembath said.
''We have to in order to keep the weight off her but she's a very sound horse.
''She doesn't mind wet tracks, either, so hopefully we'll keep ticking along.''
Trembath just has three horses in work, but Lamaze - owned by Gilbert Butterick of Greenstreet, near Ashburton - is the only one racing at present.
''I ride quite a bit of work for [trainers] Danny Champion and Kezia Murphy, so I haven't actually got time to do any more than three.''
Suspected fracturesApprentice jockey Amber Edmeads was taken to Dunstan Hospital with suspected fractures to a thoracic vertebrae, her right wrist and hand and facial injuries after a fall in race 2, a 1400m maiden.
Edmeads was dislodged from The Rook after a chain of events which began when Gallant Rose began to weaken and Shirley Brook clipped Gallant Rose's heels with 550m to go.
Courtney Barnes fell from Shirley Brook into the path of The Rook, who fell after trying to jump Barnes.
Edmeads was to be admitted to Dunedin Hospital last night after having her hand and wrist set in plaster at Dunstan Hospital.
