Unbeaten three-year-old Dawn Patrol pleased trainer Frank Ritchie with his last-start victory over 1400m at Matamata on Saturday but his path towards the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) is currently undecided.

The Dawn Approach gelding will bypass Monday’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa and could head towards the trials in the lead-up to next month’s Riccarton feature.

“We’re still mulling over Christchurch, he’s pulled up tremendously well (since his last-start),” Ritchie said.

“I haven’t put him in the Sarten, I thought it might have been a bit soon, so we’ve got to find some way to give him another run, maybe only a trial.”