Excuse Maker ran the 3000m in 3.52.8, a 2.04.8 mile rate and 0.3sec inside the grass track record set by Niraadi in the race two years ago.
The 4yr-old Excuse Maker trained by Phil Burrows for the Dawe family, of Rangiora, had won his previous start at the all-weather track at Oamaru on January 10 and he won at the Kurow meeting in August.
John and Dorothy Cheesman, who sponsored the Oamaru Cup through Whitestone Livestock, won the opening race yesterday with Miss Milwaukee. She finished boldly when switched wide from three back on the inner. Miss Milwaukee improved on a second placing at Forbury Park on Thursday night.
Davis, of Cromwell, bred Simon Sivad and he races the 4yr-old Live Or Die-Eva Jane gelding with Lesley Taylor, wife of Ladbrooks trainer Dean Taylor.
Davis had his first win as an owner with Trendy Paula at Winton in November, 1989. She won two races when trained by Kirk Larsen. He also trained Lisa O, who won six races for Davis, before being sold to the United States. He also won six with Wide Awake Bags, before the gelding was sold to Australia. Wide Awake Bags won a heat of the Southern Supremacy Stakes when trained by Murray Brown but was ruled out of the final through injury. He had his last three New Zealand wins from the John Hay stable.
Simon Sivad is a brother to Stuart Brown, who won six races from the Taylor stable when raced in partnership by Davis.
Stuart Brown was sold to the US.
Davis said he was bred most of his winners.
"I have incorporated Sivad [Davis spelt backwards] in the names and it has made it easy to follow their fortunes overseas," he said.
• Trainer Greg Hope considers working Hot Vacation in a straight line at the beach has been instrumental in the 4yr-old mare clearing the ranks of maiden trotters. She led over the last 1100m yesterday.
Hot Vacation qualified last season when trained by Tim Butt who had bought her as a yearling for the Met Six syndicate.
"Tim had trouble with her trotting squarely and she came to our stable this season. I have found that training in a straight line has helped a lot of trotters," Hope said.
Hot Vacation had finished second in her other two starts for Greg and Nina Hope, who also won yesterday Jason Rulz and Stubmeister.
Jason Rulz took 1.6sec off the track record for 2000m when he powered home from four back on the inner. His 2.33.3 lowered the mark set last year by Laughing Holme.
• Tim Williams will represent the South Island in the Australasian Young Drivers Championship in Perth next month.
The qualification period finished at the Oamaru meeting yesterday with Williams leading with 94 points and Matthew Williamson on 89.
Zac Butcher, as the leading North Island Island junior; Simon McMullan (top strike rate) and Josh Dickie, the series winner last year, also represent New Zealand.
• Highview Tommy, at odds of 101-to-one, prevailed in the A$125,000 Ballarat Cup on Saturday night.
Highview Tommy, trained and driven by Mark Purdon for Hazel van Opzeeland, Phil and Glenys Kennard, all of Christchurch came from beyond midfield to shade pacemaking Sushi Sushi, who had won his 16 previous starts.
