It is the second successive season that Rae has had the top strike rate.
The Riccarton trainer ended the season yesterday with 21 wins from 89 starters for a strike rate of 4.4.
Last season she won 16 races for a strike rate of 4.69.
First Ruler was soon in front from a wide draw over 1200m yesterday and won by 4lengths.
He had finished second to Regal Flame at Riccarton in May at his other start.
He unseated rider Jamie Bullard when returning to scale.
Bullard said First Ruler shied and then slipped.
Bullard sustained a graze to the face and hurt his shoulder and wrist.
He was stood down for his remaining four rides.
The Rae-trained Duch was a late scratching when a replacement rider was not available.
Rae could take further satisfaction from the win of First Ruler as she selected the son of Viking Ruler-First Night at the 2008 carnival yearling sale at Karaka.
"I really selected him on type," Rae said.
First Ruler is a big gelding by Viking Ruler, the sire of Red Ruler (Championship Stakes at Ellerslie) and Court Ruler (Trentham Stakes).
He is the first foal of First Night, a Generous mare who won two races to 2000m.
He was a $40,000 purchase by Ladbrooks owners Anne-Marie de Spa and Charles Hall.
They won a race with Imani from the Rae stable this season.
They have also won races with Sothys (the dam of Imani) and Secret Halo.
First Ruler will now have a short spell and be prepared for the Coupland Stakes at Ashburton in October.
Rae won the Coupland and Canterbury Stakes with Hold It Harvey in the spring of 2007.
Hold It Harvey has been spelled since he won the Easter Cup at Riccarton in April.
Rae has engaged Mark du Plessis to ride Don't Say Clang in the $100,000 Winter Cup next Saturday.
Du Plessis is back in New Zealand after a season in Hong Kong.
Bullard, who rode Don't Say Clang to win the Winter Cup Trial at Washdyke on July 19, is under suspension until August 20. Not Now Norman, last-winner of the Champagne Stakes at Riccarton in May for the Rae stable, has been sold to Hong Kong.
The Paul Harris-trained Keepitinthefamily clinched a start in the Winter Cup when he won a rating 80 1600m race yesterday.
He is on the minimum with 52kg.
He was one of three winners yesterday for Harris, who ended the season with 55 wins.
It was equal to his best tally achieved in the 2002-03 season.
He has been training on his own for nine seasons after beginning with his late father, Ray, and training for a season with his brother, Mark.
Harris also won yesterday with Lotus (dead-heat with Under Parr in the Oamaru Cup) and Chiquita Babe.
Lotus and Chiquita Babe are raced by Harris's partner, Donna Thomson.
Harris shares the ownership of Keepitinthefamily with Dave McKenzie, of Rangiora, Craig Sullivan, of Christchurch, and Brent Weaver, of Balcairn.
Harris scratched Our Smoochie Girl from the 2yr-old race yesterday.
He said she would contest a $30,000 race for 3yr-olds at Riccarton next Saturday. She will then be spelled and aimed at the Canterbury Belle Stakes.
Our Smoochie Girl won her last start at Waimate.
Jay Misbah, the top South Island apprentice, ended the season with 49 wins when he was successful on Golden Tuscany.
Michael Pitman is the leading South Island trainer with 68 wins.
Chris Johnson, who won on Anissina and Neat yesterday, is the top South Island-based rider with 63 wins.
The Inter-Island syndicate comprising Bevan Crombie, Barry Rooney, Tony Spivey, Trevor Tait and Hughie Catto, won a punting competition at the meeting yesterday.
The team amassed $887.
The competition attracted 13 teams.
Crombie is president of the Oamaru Jockey Club.
