Smoken Up went to the lead about 1400m out and fought strongly in the straight to beat favourite Themightyquinn and Blacks A Fake to make an all-Australian top three.
"What do you say? I just can't explain the feelings that I have to drive a horse as strong and as tough as him," Justice said after the race.
"He just puts in, and you know that when it comes down to a dogfight in the end, he'll be dead on his feet but he'll just keep on trying.
"He's just a champion trier -- he might not be the fastest horse about but he'll always stick his head out."
Smoken Up went into last night's final second favourite behind Themightyquinn, the West Australian who came into the race with three consecutive wins in New Zealand.
But Victorian trainer Lance Justice got a good pull into the race behind Smoken Up about 1600m out behind fourth favourite Mr Feelgood and driver Luke McCarthy and then drove past Blacks A Fake with 1300m to go and controlled the race from there.
Themightyquinn got cover for most of the race but had to sprint for 500m rather than unleash his trademark 200m sprint, and he eventually found Smoken Up too tough.
"I don't know who's more worn out, him or me," Justice said.
Smoken Up is now an eight-year-old but he has had his best season yet, having also won the Miracle Mile this season.
"He's just got better with age. The more racing he's done, the better he's got," Justice said.
Themightyquinn fought well but the need to make a long sprint rather than a short one probably made the difference in the end.
Ten-year-old Queenslander Blacks A Fake made a valiant attempt to win his fifth Interdominion pacing final, leading early before handing up to Smoken Up, but he didn't have enough speed in his legs to hold out the top two.
Smiling Shard was the best New Zealander in the race in fourth.
Earlier, Pukekohe trainer-driver Mark Purdon gained compensation for a tough few weeks when I Can Doosit won the Interdominion trotters final.
I Can Doosit, an $11.90 chance, got a cosy run in a tough race to sprint from midfield to overturn the hot favourite Let Me Thru.
Purdon, who trains in partnership with Grant Payne, has had the misfortune of losing superstar pacer Auckland Reactor to injury prior to the Interdominion series, and also had Sleepy Tripp withdrawn from the pacing final yesterday due to soreness.
But he managed to get I Can Doosit to improve throughout the three-week series and his sprint was irresistible in the last 250m.
"It's one of the greatest thrills I've had," Purdon said.
"I think when you get to the quality of these horses you've got to have luck on your side and last night it was our turn," Purdon said.
Let Me Thru was brave in defeat from his draw on the outside of the second row. He made a mid-race move to take the lead and then had to fight Springbank Richard off to retain the lead from that point and he did well to hold out all but I Can Doosit in the straight.
Stylish Monarch was caught three back on the markers and flashed home for third.
Purdon gained extra recompense for his bad luck when Highview Tommy won the pacers consolation earlier last night.
