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A win in Saturday's Listed Marks Ewen & Associates Kaimai Stakes is not a prerequisite for Guarantor to press on to the Gr.1 Auckland Cup, says Palmerston North trainer Mark Oulaghan.
Howbaddouwanit six-year-old gelding Guarantor is currently 18th on the order of entry for the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie on March 12 so seems set to gain a start, giving Oulaghan some breathing room in Saturday's 2000m open handicap at Matamata.
Guarantor has won four of his 24 starts, including a commanding 2400m Rating 85 win at Te Rapa a fortnight ago.
“I've just gone through the motions with him since that win and he worked pretty well on Tuesday," Oulaghan said.
"He won over 2400m last time and he handled the distance well so that's encouraging with a view to pressing on to the Auckland Cup. But he's a big, gawky horse and dropping back to 2000m on a bit of a tight-turning track isn't ideal for him.
"I just want to see him running on. If he wins that race on Saturday, then we really know we're on track for the Auckland Cup. If he turned in a really bad one, we'd probably pull pin on the Auckland Cup but barring that we'd probably press ahead."
Guarantor has long shaped as a promising stayer and a solid second placing in the Summer Cup at Trentham over Wellington Cup week was all the convincing that Oulaghan needed to press ahead with his ambitious Ellerslie plans.
Michael Coleman was aboard for his Te Rapa win and stays in the saddle for the Kaimai Stakes and most likely the Auckland Cup, Oulaghan said.
"Michael got on well with him which was a plus and we're pleased to have him aboard again," Oulaghan said.
The Kaimai Stakes has drawn an even field, headed by last week's Gr.3 Taranaki Cup runner-up Silverdale along with last-start winners Matimba, Saint Emilion, The Auld Floozie and Guess What, who won the race in 2013.
In the eight years the Kaimai Stakes has been run at Listed level, it has proved to be an unreliable guide to the Auckland Cup, with no winner going on to place in the Ellerslie feature. However 2011 winner The Party Stand did go on to win the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie at her next start.