The impressively-bred 3yr-old has won three of his 10 race starts since beginning his career as a 2yr-old, but his trainer, Michael Pitman, might have a clearer view on the next step after the rating 65 1400m today.
''We've got to make some decisions about his future, and he's got to go to the races for us to make those decisions,'' Pitman said.
''He either wins races and carries on with it, or we retire him as a third-grade stallion prospect or we geld him.
''If he races well, we carry on to the Dunedin and Southland Guineas or further afield, but he's got to prove that he's capable of winning races as a colt.''
Pitman planned to start the son of Redoute's Choice in the 3yr-old guineas prelude at Wingatui on Boxing Day, but persistent rain put paid to that plan.
Taking on the older horses today was not Pitman's preferred plan with El Doute, he admitted.
''I would have much rather run at Dunedin the other day in his own age-group,'' Pitman said.
''I think it's hard for 3yr-olds to beat older horses - even in maidens, it is hard.
''I think he's a really nice horse - he'll make a lovely handicapper.''
Pitman feels El Doute's coltish tendencies may have been eased somewhat since he brought his team south to Waikouaiti last week.
''He's a little bit more relaxed and he's not as colty as he was a week ago.
''Being here for the last week has settled him down. It could be the making of him.''
Pitman was undecided whether to run El Chico at Kurow or Waikouaiti after the 9yr-old confounded favourite punters by winning the listed Timaru Cup on Saturday.
He received a 1.5kg re-handicap after the win, bringing his weight for the open 1400m at Kurow to 60.5kg, while he is carded to carry 59kg at Waikouaiti in the open 1200m.
''He's been a great old campaigner,'' he said.
''I wasn't going to run him [at Timaru] until John Parsons told me in the morning he was scratching Arietta. I was going to pull him out because of the [rain-affected] ground, then I called Warwick Coles, the caretaker, and he said `look, it's fairly even'.
''I galloped him 1000m [on Saturday morning] and he galloped really well so I decided to run him.''
Pitman rates Darci Coup as a strong lightweight chance in today's $20,000 Kurow Cup, while Sir Singo (Waikouaiti Cup) and Our Genes (open sprint) would be sentimental favourites for Pitman at Waikouaiti, as both horses are raced partly in the estate of his son, Jonny, who died in November.
''Sentiment tells me I would love to win both races.
''If I can win two races at Waikouaiti, I'd love it to be those two horses. It'd be really special.''
