The Rohan Hillier-trained seven-year-old came off 20m and rated 1:58 to shave 0.3 seconds off the old record for the 2200m standing start set by Another Safari 17 months ago.

In doing so, he joined an illustrious list of winners since the race was moved to Mowbray in 1987 including all-time greats Halyer, Genghis Karalta and Northern Brewer.

Ryley Major has now won 17 of his 27 starts and Hillier is on record as saying the Art Major gelding is "by far the best horse I've ever trained."

"I've been saying that since day one - his mum Shez Ryleymak was a star for us but this bloke would pick her up and tow her," Hillier said earlier in the year.

However the trainer has since expressed disappointment at how the new national ratings system has impacted on the horse.

"He went from an M1 horse that was probably capable of winning an M1, M2 and M3 to now being an M5 or M6 horse," the trainer said.

"So his days of going to Melbourne are over.:"

The Golden Apple at Mowbray in December will probably be Ryley Major's next major target.

CLASSY five-year-old Similan Beach continued Pipers River trainer Marc Butler's hot start to the new season with a super quick win in the Rating 65-79.

Well driven by Ricky Duggan, Similar Beach came off the second row and sustained a long three-wide run to catch pacemaker Artiflash in the last couple of strides.

His mile rate for the 1680m of 1:55.94 wasn't far outside the track record of 1:54.5 set by Mister Lennox in the 2017 Golden Mile.

Similan Beach was Butler's seventh winner for the season from only 11 runners. He also scored earlier in the night with Western Glory.

At the other end of the spectrum, Red Shed Robbie won his first race in 64 starts in the Rating 30-49.

The seven-year-old has been in numerous stables and all credit for his win goes to Frankford trainer Rachel Williams who has had him for his past 28 runs.