"The owners are keen to have a crack at the Messenger. It will be a massive step up for him [Excuse Maker]," Phil Burrows, his Fernside trainer, said.
Excuse Maker had his most recent win in a race for 3-7win horses at Forbury Park last Thursday night.
Brett Thomas, who has driven Excuse Maker in six of his wins, was the recipient of an unusual presentation after the race - a bouquet of flowers. The flowers had been donated by Carley Jones Floral Design which had done arrangements for the members night function of the Forbury Park club.
Burrows has a preference to run Excuse Maker in a race other than the Taylor Mile on April 27, a week before the Messenger.
The 3yr-old trotting filly Pretty Sunday is booked to accompany Excuse Maker. She has been treated for ulcers since she trotted roughly and finished well back in the New Zealand Trotting Derby on March 30.
"She just seemed to be off-colour and is eating a lot better," Burrows said.
Pretty Sunday won fresh-up at Waikouaiti in February and subsequently finished second to the 3yr-old trotting star Escapee at Addington.
Burrows has Pacific Rapture and Seven Point One based at the Papakura stable of Jay Abernethy. Pacific Rapture has the $150,000 Yearling Sales Pace at Alexandra Park on April 27 as her next assignment. She won the Graduette at Cambridge last Thursday.
Seven Point One won a heat of the Sires' Stakes for 2yr-old fillies at Addington on March 16 at her only start. She will have a race at Alexandra Park on Friday night. Consideration is being given to paying the late entry fee of $12,000 for the daughter of Lis Mara and Cassie's Melody in the $110,000 Caduceus Club Classic on April 20.
Nevele R Stud, sponsor of the race, has Seven Point One leased to George Burrows (brother of Phil), and brothers Glen and Grant Smith, of Ashburton. George, who is caring for the horses at Pukekohe, is a stallion handler at Nevele R, where Lis Mara is in service.
Seven Point One is from the first crop of Lis Mara. She is the second foal of Cassie's Melody, a Badlands Hanover mare out of Port Medley, who has left 11 winners.
• Tony Herlihy won the Hawera Cup for the fifth time yesterday when the favourite Bettor Dream prevailed.
Herlihy has trained and driven four of the past five Hawera Cup winners. The others are Costalot (2008), Ohoka Dallas (2009) and Swift Therapy (2011). He drove Master Ryan to win for Hawera owner-trainer Judith Nolan in 1996.
