Trainer Mark Kavanagh is looking to strengthen his claims on the Caulfield Guineas-Thousand Guineas double when Cats Whisker backs up in Saturday's Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington.Kavanagh used similar back-up tactics with Whobegotyou who emerged the Caulfield Guineas favourite after winning last Friday night's Group Two Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley just six days after being unplaced in the Guineas Prelude.At the Moonee Valley meeting, Cats Whisker pleased Kavanagh w

Trainer Mark Kavanagh is looking to strengthen his claims on the Caulfield Guineas-Thousand Guineas double when Cats Whisker backs up in Saturday's Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington.

Kavanagh used similar back-up tactics with Whobegotyou who emerged the Caulfield Guineas favourite after winning last Friday night's Group Two Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley just six days after being unplaced in the Guineas Prelude.

At the Moonee Valley meeting, Cats Whisker pleased Kavanagh when she finished third to Okaylah and Velocitea over 1200m but she faces her biggest test going to 1610m this week.

Kavanagh said it was a matter of having to run this week for Cats Whisker to make it to the Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 15.

"She has to back up this week otherwise it makes it too hard to get there," Kavanagh said.

He said Cats Whisker's Valley performance was particularly good given that she pulled up lame after being galloped on when she resumed in the Group Three Champagne Stakes (1200m) at her previous start.

"Unfortunately she missed a bit of work after her first run but there was nothing wrong with her effort on Friday night," Kavanagh said.

"It was the run of a horse looking for longer and she has certainly done well in the last week."

Kavanagh said that being by former Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, Cats Whisker had the pedigree to stay and that both the Thousand Guineas and the VRC Oaks (2500m) were on her agenda.

Jockey Michael Rodd said there was a lot of improvement to come from the filly who has raced just four times and was unbeaten in two starts as a two-year-old.

"She is a quality filly but I don't know if the penny has dropped with her yet," Rodd said.

Whobegotyou is the dominant $2.80 favourite with TAB Sportsbet for the Caulfield Guineas on October 11 while Cats Whisker is still an outsider at $41 for the Thousand Guineas.