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Matamata trainers Peter and Jacob McKay are poised to play leading roles at Saturday's Ruakaka meeting.

The father and son trainers have key entries in both open handicaps - Antonio Lombardo and Canterino - as well as a leading light in the two-year-old event, De Niro.

Both Canterino and Antonio Lombardo feature prominently in TAB fixed-odds betting markets with Canterino at a $6.50 quote for the ITM Whangarei Cup (2100m) and track specialist Antonio Lombardo a $5 shot for the ITM/Gib Open 1400.

Both horses were unplaced at Ruakaka at their most recent starts, but Peter McKay was forgiving of both runs.

"Antonio Lombardo got bashed as he got out of the gates," he said.

"I told Shaun [McKay] to ride him forward, but after that he had to ride him a bit deep. Shaun couldn't claim on him last time, whereas this time he takes three kilos off and he's better drawn.

"Last year we gave him two trials before he won first-up at Ruakaka, whereas this year he wasn't out for long and we'd tried to run him into condition. Hopefully, he can put his hand up this time."

A winner of 11 of his 46 starts, including four of eight at Ruakaka, Pins six-year-old Antonio Lombardo will attempt to defend his crown in the Gr.3 Spring Sprint at Hastings in October.

"He's getting a bit older and he's getting up in the weights, which I can't complain about because he's won the stakes, but he's still got the ability to be competitive at that level. We'll give him a freshen up after this before we go back to Hastings."

McKay thought he had Canterino ready to win last start, but after the Oratorio five-year-old peaked on his run the trainer believes he might have been one run further away than he had originally anticipated.

"He should be fit enough now to put a good bold one in,” he said. “I thought he would be ready last start, but with that run under his belt he should be able to show his best."

Promising O'Reilly colt De Niro ran a strong race for second at Ruakaka resuming last start, beaten a nose, and McKay expected another big run from the dual trial winner

"He went huge fresh-up. We'd been planning to ride him back in behind and settling but he flew the gates and put himself right there,” he said.

“He's tidied up a bit since then too and we'll use Shaun's three kilo claim as well," McKay said.

The McKays' other Ruakaka runner is the maiden Oblivion.