Mark Oulaghan has successfully played a waiting game with Guarantor, who will now bid to double the respected Awapuni trainer's tally in the country's premier staying event.
He has his sights firmly set on the group one Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup, a race he won in 2014 with Who Shot Thebarman, for the late-maturing gelding.
A Rating 85 winner at Te Rapa earlier this month, Guarantor is now a $14 chance for the Ellerslie feature after further success in yesterday's Listed Marks Ewen & Associates Kaimai Stakes at Matamata.
"I thought he had a bit against him today and I was a bit surprised he won," Oulaghan said.
He felt the drop back from 2400 to 2000 metres on a smaller track could have brought about Guarantor's downfall, but the six-year-old was up to the challenge.