Chris Lewis and I'm Full Of Excuses claim the 2017 Harvey Pacing Cup

The five-year-old gelding started the race as the second elect in the small field of six and Lewis chose to sit outside Our Jimmy Johnstone who was driven by Ryan Warwick. 

The leaders set a strong pace through the second and third quarters but by the final bend, it was clear Our Jimmy Johnstone was tiring. 

A canny Lewis saw an opportunity to strike and urged his pacer forward to record a four metre win over Vultan Tin who closed the race out nicely while Warwick had to settle for third. 

The first of the night, the Jim Rake Memorial, was convincingly won by Gary Hall junior who steered favourite Hudson Bay ($2.10) to a nine-metre victory while race two was led all-the-way and won by Aliman ($1.50).

The third of the night saw backmarkers Doc Ryan ($7.50) and Right Hand ($13) deadheat for drivers Ray Retzlaff and Luke Edwards.

Warwick opened his account in the fourth with Chuck Norris ($4.50) saluting comfortably while Makingchanges ($12.50) flew late for driver Aiden De Campo to win race five by a half-neck margin.

Hoiho ($1.70) saluted in race seven for driver Shannon Suvaljko the way a good favourite should while Morgan Woodley guided Heza Head Honcho ($11) to a rather narrow victory in race eight. The last of the night saw Hall finish a double with Maia Maguire ($2.60) prevailing by three metres.