The Dominion Trot was sold as a battle of young and old, and it certainly lived up to its billing at Addington yesterday.
The youngsters had the final say, though, as the 5yr-old Master Lavros - less than half the age of Stig - chased the 11yr-old up the passing lane to win the group 1 trot by 2 lengths at the line.
For Burnham trainer/driver Mark Jones, the win by the Sundon gelding goes right to the top of his pile - particularly in his burgeoning training career.
''To win an open-class trot is always great - it's a big thrill,'' Jones said.
''It's the best race of horsemanship. I reckon it's more pleasing when you make them, then drive them as well.''
Jones had to learn from an earlier mistake with Master Lavros, after he opted to try the gelding as a 2yr-old. The juvenile campaign was partly successful, with Master Lavros winning one of three starts, before Jones gave him a long break and tried him again as a late 3yr-old.
''I did the wrong thing racing him at 2,'' Jones admitted.
''Then he had a decent break this time, and we've looked after him, so that's been the telling factor.''
Master Lavros won the group 3 Canterbury Park Trotting Cup off the unruly mark earlier this season, but Jones took the risk of putting him in the main draw, and hoped the gelding's generally good manners would not desert them.
The gamble paid off as Master Lavros worked to the lead with two laps to go, and handed up to the old warrior Stig.
Jones was in little doubt he had the horsepower to finish off the race in style once he approached the straight for the final time.
''He felt a million dollars. We were pretty happy with him going in to the race, so we just hoped that he stepped.''
Jones has been taking Master Lavros to the beach, which he credits as a major reason for his career-defining win, following in the Dominion-winning footsteps of his father Peter (Tussle in 1986 and Sundon in 1990) and grandfather Derek (Barrier Reef 1959).
''I think it's made him trot better - when we used him at the beach, he's just started trotting better,'' he said.
''It's settled him down too - he spends 10 minutes in the surf. We travel him out every second day, so it has made a difference to him.''
