Can 'The Freak' be dethroned?

RECORDS are made to be broken, but in some ways, it never seemed possible Lyell Creek would be toppled as the Australasia's richest trotter.

Known as 'The Freak' during his stellar career, Lyell Creek was a once-in-a-generation performer, which was successful on both sides of the equator.

No one who was present at Moonee Valley in 2000 will forget Lyell Creek's emphatic Inter Dominion triumph for trainer Tim Butt.

Retired in 2005 with a tally of 56 wins and 26 placings from 113 starts, Lyell Creek earned a record $2,256,724.

Lyell Creek's victories include three Dominion Handicaps, a race the squaregaiter threatening to dethrone him captured in Addington this afternoon!

Driven by Greg Sugars, Just Believe worked to the lead from two before completing a two-and-a-half metre win from Mighty Logan, with Oscar Bonavena a metre away third.

Rating 2:02.8 for the 3200-metre stand, the Jess Tubbs-trained gelding became the first Aussie to win the feature since Scotch Notch in 1983.

Collecting $216,000, Just Believe took his bankroll to $1,913,753 - when converted by Harness Racing New Zealand to Kiwi dollars, the eight-year-old's purse sits on $2,015,845

As Harness Racing Australia does not convert dollar amounts, Just Believe remains $343,000 below Lyell Creek.

To explain further, Just Believe left Australia with earnings of $1,697,753, but arrived in New Zealand with a revised figure of $1,799,845!

Irrespective, son of Orlando Vici will be given several opportunities to continue his quest for top spot before the end of the season, including Friday's New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All also in Addington.

Later this month as Just Believe will also aim to become the first trotter to win three Inter Dominion Championships when he heads to New South Wales.