Success in Saturday's Gr.3 NZ Campus of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham would be the ultimate payoff for a bit of friendly advice between friends several years ago.

Five-year-old gelding Excalibur heads into Saturday’s Listed Jakkalberry Classic (1950m) at Rotorua in fine fettle according to trainer Shaune Ritchie, but the wide draw of barrier 11 will ensure he is ridden conservatively once again.

Cambridge stayer Excalibur booked his place in the rich Dunstan Feeds Stayers Championship Final (2200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day with a gritty victory at Te Rapa on Saturday.

In 2014, Taranaki businessman Chris Thompson, decided to invest in a couple of broodmares to boost his thoroughbred interests.

The connections of promising three-year-old Excalibur face a nervous wait over the next 10 days before they will know if they have secured a start in the $1m Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on the 4th of March.