The winner of two hurdles races and runner-up to Your-theman in the Grand National Hurdles last August, Nicholman, is being aimed at the National Hurdles this year.
He ran second to Sharp Prick at Washdyke on June 15 when resuming over hurdles.
Sharp Prick, winner of his last three starts, is top weight with 69kg in the open hurdles on Sunday.
"He [Nicholman] will eventually be steeplechasing so Oamaru was a good opportunity to start him off," Shane Anderton, his co-trainer, said.
Lord Venture, winner of the 1986 National Hurdles for the Anderton stable, won the Great Western Steeples, and finished second in the Waikato and Great Northern Steeplechases in his lead up racing that winter.
The Anderton-trained Mala Strana is in a maiden hurdles at Oamaru.
Mala Strana ran second to Don't Cash It at Wingatui in May last year in her only start over hurdles.
She was then sidelined with an injury.
She has had a flat race in a fresh campaign.
Buddy Budweiser, a flat winner for the Anderton stable, recently qualified as a hurdler. He is engaged on the flat at Oamaru.
• Halobelle is making good progress in a fresh campaign with Wayne Stevens.
She is expected to resume racing at Ashburton next month.
Halobelle won over 1200m at Ashburton last August.
She won an open 1400m at Wingatui and a rating 90 1200m at Cromwell before she was put aside in March.
• Last Frisco, winner of the Great Western Steeplechase last month, has been ruled out of further racing this winter and may have run her last race.
"She was sore after the Homeby Steeplechase and has a front fetlock problem," Paul Richards, her Wingatui trainer, said.
"She has gone for a spell and her owners will decide if she is tried again. She is rising nine."
Last Frisco, owned by Garry and Lorraine McDonnell, of Springvale, won the Great Western at Riverton on May 1 when having her first race over country.
She finished third to Honour Victory and Repete in the Homeby Steeples at Riccarton on June 5.
The Gaius mare won two hurdles races last winter.
It is a repeat of last winter for the McDonnells and trainer Richards.
Their jumper Jamie's Chance was sidelined with a fractured cannon bone after he finished second in the Homeby Steeples.
Jamie's Chance had won the Western at his first race over country.
An X-ray three months ago indicated that the fracture was mending.
It is planned to return Jamie's Chance to work in December.
Never Plead Guilty is a newcomer to the Richards stable.
The 4yr-old Sakti-Lady Grange gelding has been bought by Bob and Diane Goodeve, of Waimate.
Never Plead Guilty won a 1400m maiden race at Cromwell in December when trained by Ellis Winsloe.
The Goodeves won 12 races with Petrify in the late 1990s.
The Depot gelding included the listed Coupland's Bakeries Stakes at Washdyke among his wins when trained by Stephanie Clark and Betty Jackson.
