Eamon Maguire capitalized on a beautiful Natalie Rasmussen drive to win the 4YO Emerald on Jewels day, his second Group 1 in six weeks.

His Otago co-owner and former trainer, Graeme Anderson, was on course to enjoy the win and said he and his fellow owners were thinking big.

“We’ll definitely go after the New Zealand Cup.

“He’ll spell now, and we’ll have a discussion, but I’d say he will go back to Mark and Natalie for the entire preparation.

“I can’t go away for four or five weeks at a time with him and that would be required to race him in the spring.

“If I was training him for the Cup, I’d want him the whole prep, so it’s only fair Mark and Natalie get him for the whole time.

“I just come to have a drink and not get me white shirt dirty now.”

Anderson was thrilled to get the win for a bunch of loyal owners who have raced a number of good horses with him.

“They’re a group that have shown confidence in me, firstly with Titan Banner and more recently with this guy and our winner the other day, Motu Top Mach.

“They’ve got the bug and its good; success breeds success.”

Titan Banner has, of course, gone on and achieved good things for Purdon and Rasmussen, including a New Zealand Cup placing, but Anderson says Eamon Maguire is a completely different type of horse.

“He’s always been a better-gaited horse than Titan Banner and has a lot more top-end speed.

“Probably not as tough at this stage but that didn’t matter today.

“Barrier draws win races and I think if Star Galleria (second) had our run today, the placings would have been reversed.”

After the earlier success of Princess Tiffany for Phil and Margaret Creighton, Jewels Day 2018 could be considered a pretty good result for the Otago harness fraternity.

“We come from a pretty docile harness area in Dunedin, but we’re all really passionate about the game.

“They’re all enthusiasts down there and wholly in to the game”

A G’s White Socks fought on well for third after leading while outside Black Chevron capitalized on a soft run for fourth.