Kelvin Tyler, his Otautau owner-trainer, is now aiming him at the $20,000 Gallop South Derby (2147m) for three- and four-year-olds at Riverton on April 5.
"I have been keeping him fresh for the guineas races over 1600m and I can now focus on the longer distances," Tyler said.
Awsum Dude, who was having his sixth start, ran sixth in the Gore Guineas.
He was wide early yesterday, then outside the leader from the 1200m.
He prevailed by a long neck.
Tyler bought the son of Viking Ruler-Media Darling for $16,000 as a 2yr-old at a Ready To Run sale at Karaka.
"I liked the look of him. I thought he was ready to run," Tyler said.
"I describe him as Red Ruler's twin."
Viking Ruler, the sire of Awsum Dude, has left Red Ruler (2010 Wellington Cup) and Court Ruler (Queensland Derby). Viking Ruler won the group one Spring Championship Stakes.
Awsum Dude is the fifth foal of an unraced mare by Quest for Fame.
Awsum Dude was the second winner trained by Tyler, a dairy farmer, who took out an owner-trainer licence this season.
Tyler won with Tommy Rulz at Gore in December.
Tommy Rulz, also by Viking Ruler, has been aside with a slight leg injury.
Tyler has four horses in work.
He races in partnership with his wife, Avalon.
Tyler does most of the work with his team on the jogger at his farm.
He takes his team to Riverton for fast work.
"I am fortunate to have Rebecca Black to ride them in fast work," he said.
Tyler, who has been at Otautau for 17 years after shifting from Matamata, has been involved with horses for many years.
He raced Tylmann with other members of his family when based at Matamata.
The All Glory gelding won seven races in the mid 1990s when trained by R and S Johnson.
Awsum Dude was among three wins yesterday for Christchurch jockey Terry Moseley. Craig Grylls, the Matamata jockey, rode a winner at Cromwell yesterday in his first ride on the track.
Grylls, who turns 20 today, won the opening race on Heaven's Up Here, trained by Mike and Paul Moroney at Rangiora.
Grylls is stable rider for the Moroney brothers, whose main stable is at Matamata.
Mike also operates a stable in Melbourne.
Grylls is in his second season as the stable rider.
He has ridden 51 winners this season and is on target to better his personal best of 63 last season.
"I had three months in Brisbane last winter with the Moroney team and intend to be back there this winter," Grylls said.
He has high hopes for the Moroney-trained Prix Du Sang, whom he rode to finish fourth in the Queensland Derby.
He won a rating 80 2000m on Prix Du Sang at Matamata on March 3.
Riccarton trainer Shane Kennedy won with Pablo Escobar and Keep The Conflict, the two horses he started yesterday.
Both were ridden by stable apprentice Michelle Carston, who bought the pair south with strapper Anna Furlong.
Kennedy, Greg Tomlinson and Louis Vieceli are in the ownership of both horses.
The same owners race Champagne Ranson, winner of the Dunedin Guineas last month.
