KEY POINTS:
Don't ask Lance Justice what he did to transform Earl Of Mot from Kiwi battler into Breeders Crown champion.
He is the first to admit he doesn't really know. But whatever it was it paid the biggest dividend possible at Ballarat yesterday.
Earl Of Mot, still owned in
Canterbury, led throughout to win the A$92,000 ($105,000) final, taking advantage of all of his rivals galloping.
But even with that boost he still had to race five lengths better than he did in New Zealand, where he wouldn't have been ranked in the top five 3-year-olds in the country.
Since joining Victorian-based trainer Justice the former speedy squib has developed the stamina to grind out a win like yesterday's group one.
"Lance can't put his finger on what has changed," said part-owner Laurie Goodson after the win. But whatever it has been we are loving it."
Earl Of Mot was even for sale just two months ago but has gone from strength to strength as the Australian 3-year-old crop has self destructed.
"We made a few calls before we sent him over and the experts here thought the local crop wasn't that strong," said Goodson.
"But then we had to find a trainer and we didn't know any over here. Ken Barron (trainer) suggested Lance Justice and we went with his opinion.
"Now we have the biggest thrill of our lives in racing."
Justice is no stranger to performing miracles with Kiwi trotters, having trained Uncle Petrika to his huge odds win in this year's Interdominion Trotting Final.
He has also trained former Southland pacer Sokyola to become a champion while his latest stable star, Smoken Up, used to be trained in Cambridge.
* The One Dream team weren't making any excuses yesterday. Even though they had every reason to after their great filly's second to Fleur De Lil in the 3-year-old fillies' final.
One Dream got trapped in midfield and only got out in the last 150m, flying late but by then the race with over.
The writing was on the wall for One Dream soon after the start when Australian favourites Miss Hazel and Fleur De Lil were able to dominate the race from the front and set the race up for a sprint home.
"They are both top fillies and once they got there as easily as they did we were in trouble," said driver Frank Cooney.
"Then I didn't get clear until it was all over. I thought the way she sprinted was as good as anything she has done this season but you can't win them all."
Co-trainer Dave McGowan admitted the gap between One Dream and Fleur De Lil has closed since last season.
The good news for One Dream fans is she will race on next season, probably returning in December with her long-term aim probably the Harness Jewels.
* Kiwi pacer Justa Tiger's misfortune provided Flightpath with the miracle he needed to win the rich A$314,000 juvenile pace final.
Justa Tiger was travelling well in front when he jumped a shadow and galloped at the 300m mark, breaking the field open and letting Flightpath out from a tricky position three back on the inside.
That was enough to see the Sydney pacer produce a blistering finish to grab Maffioso on the line.
"We were going at least as well as Maffioso and I think we would have been hard to beat," said Justa Tiger's driver Maurice McKendry. "He had a look at the shadow on the first lap and then it got him the second time."