Kelvin Tyler is trying to figure out the ideal timeline for Timy Tyler after the gelding's Amberley Cup win at Riccarton on Saturday.
The Riverton trainer prepared the 4yr-old to win Saturday's $25,000 feature but it is the lure of the $100,000 prize on offer for the Winter Cup in August that has Tyler looking at the calendar.
A smart ride from Wingatui apprentice Jake Lowry put Timy Tyler in the lead at the top of the straight, and he held on to win by a neck from a brave Comanche Gold.
''I was rapt,'' Tyler said.
''But he deserved it though - he's been pretty close in the last few races, so he hasn't had to improve a hell of a lot to get a win.''
The son of No Excuse Needed has now won four of his 27 starts, and has returned a cheque in 16 of his other races, so is never far away.
''He's as honest as they come. He's a wee bit weak yet and you don't want to break his heart but he tries until he breaks. So you've just got to nurse him along a bit until he strengthens up a bit.''
And it is that never-say-die attitude which has caused Tyler to consider where to go next.
Tyler was initially keen on the $25,000 Oamaru Cup on July 19, but is conscious of giving Timy Tyler enough space between that and the group 3 Winter Cup on August 1.
''I wish Oamaru was an extra week out from the cup,'' he said.
''It's only two weeks from the cup and he just takes a little bit of time to get over his races sometimes, so it's whether it's Oamaru or whether I take him to a midweek meeting at Timaru [on July 10] or something like that.''
Tyler has always felt the gelding was ''above average''.
His career started off on the right hoof with a win on debut as a late 2yr-old at Gore in May 2013.
Tyler believes the classic mile [1600m] distance is about right at this stage of Timy Tyler's career.
''I reckon a mile is perfect at the moment,'' he said.
''I ran him over 2000m at Gore and to me, he just came to the end of it in the last 50m.
''I thought maybe he's not strong enough for 2000m yet, so we're back to a mile - especially in the wet going, it's a bit tougher.''
That is not to say he cannot handle a bit of moisture in the track - his win on Saturday was his first on a heavy track, although his record on slow tracks is outstanding, with a win, four seconds, a third and a fourth from his seven starts.
''I reckon slow is probably his go - I reckon it was probably only a slow track on Saturday with the times that they were going.''
One horse Timy Tyler will not have to worry about is Addictive Habit.
The Lee Somervell-trained 5yr-old was a surprise nomination for the Winter Cup, but has found form on the Gold Coast and will stay there to carry on his campaign.
The Coupland's Mile winner is still in the Winter Cup market at $8, although with two question marks alongside his name to indicate his status as an unlikely starter.
Timy Tyler is at $41 in the futures market.
North And South holds favouritism at $6, the Mosgiel-owned Miss Three Stars is at $14, while the Hec and Claire Anderton-trained Hexie Hao is at $61.
