Racing: McKay duo on target

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It's a low-key meeting at Rotorua today for almost everyone but Matamata stablemates Thundermore and Lozada.

Both are looking for wins in their respective assignments, the R75 1950m and the R65 1560m, to confirm starts in richer targets.

Thundermore is pushing for a last-ditch spot in the keenly contested $75,000 Dunstan Feeds Championship Final at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.

Lozada, meanwhile, is out to show he's worthy of a New Zealand Derby start at Ellerslie in March.

Ideally placed, the pair should deliver exactly what trainer Peter McKay has ordered.

Thundermore has been thereabouts in all three runs this campaign over middle-distance trips in stronger fields.

He should get another uncontested lead in Rotorua and drops to a winning weight of just 54kg with Alex Forbes' 3kg claim.

Although he hasn't fired in two previous outings at Arawa Park, Thundermore has had excuses both times, including when a costly flop at this meeting last year.

Lozada looked smart in quitting maidens at Matamata two starts back and was in the fight next time out against Xanadu and co at Ellerslie.

This is a massive class drop from that effort; he's a more progressive type than most of his rivals today.

Zelus and Virginia Wade, other classic hopefuls in this campaign, are the exceptions and look stand-out trifecta hopes.

If he makes it off the ballot back into race eight, look to Costello to round out a winning hat-trick for McKay with his only three runners.

The course placegetter has an inside gate and just 51kg with Forbes aboard.

He's a lot smarter than his last three runs suggest on paper.

If Forbes makes full use of the gate and slides through to a comfortable early lead the pair will be tough to peg back down the short Rotorua stretch.