KEY POINTS:
Jockey Gavin McKeon predicted plenty more tight finishes between his mount Alamosa and El Cuento after the pair fought out a torrid finish to the $100,000 Group Two Hawke's Bay Guineas (1400m) at Hastings on Saturday.
Alamosa ran past pacemaker El Cuento in the straight, but had to fight in the latter stages to hold him out, after having a tough run in transit.
"It was a tough win because he had to do a lot of work early," McKeon said afterwards.
"I was able to give him a mid-race breather. I just eased him three deep with 500m to go and let him run into the race.
"He ran past the leader really easily, but had to battle it out to the line."
Alamosa had a short neck to spare at the finish, with three-quarters of a length back to Fritzy Boy, who ran another honest race.
The well-backed Abbey Way was seventh.
McKeon and the horse's connections were bitterly disappointed not to win New Zealand racing's two-year-old-of-the-year title after Nighlign was chosen.
"He'll just have to win the 3-year-old title now."
It was Alamosa's fifth win from 10 starts and took his stake earnings past $240,000.
McKeon indicated his admiration for El Cuento and forecast some exciting clashes in the future.
"I think you are going to see a couple of match-races between them."
Delighted trainer Peter McKay, who shares the ownership with his wife Kim and Christchurch importer Trevor Luke, said Alamosa would probably head to the premier meeting at Trentham on October 27, to contest either the Captain Cook Stakes or the Wellington Guineas.
If Trentham is too wet, Alamosa will probably race at Te Rapa on Labour Day, en route to the Two Thousand Guineas at Riccarton on November 17.
- NZPA
