Lance Justice (pictured) is poised to win his first Victorian metropolitan trainers premiership as the title race reaches its climax at Moonee Valley tomorrow night.
The Melton-based horseman heads into the final metropolitan meeting of the season on 18 wins, two clear of dual premiership winner Peter Manning.
Both trainers have six eligible horses engaged at Moonee Valley, but it will take a super effort from Manning to land the three winners required to regain the outright lead.
His best chances will come courtesy of Jilliby Prince ($5.50, Race 2), Our Dream Scene ($4.50, Race 6) and Sophistix ($6, Race 8).
Justice's best chance of adding to his tally comes in Race 7 where he has smart pacers B H Cullen ($3.50) and My Man Sunshine ($11) engaged.
Before relocating to Victoria in late 2000, Justice was the premier trainer and driver in South Australia for the best part of a decade.
On the driving front, six-time winner Chris Alford is tomorrow night set to wrap up his first metropolitan premiership since 1999.
Five metropolitan penalty winners in the past month has seen Alford overtake Gavin Lang in the title race and he now holds a two win lead on 31.
Lang only has four chances tomorrow night to reduce that deficit with Viva La Fever ($3.20, Race 3) and Serial Pest ($6, Race 4) the pick of them.
Alford has five eligible drives headlined by Alabamas Idol ($4.20, Race 3) which sets up a premiership deciding clash with Lang in third event at 7.32pm.
The metropolitan premierships are based on performances in metropolitan penalty races only, that being any race worth $8001 or greater held throughout Victoria.
Accordingly, the results in Race 1 at Moonee Valley tomorrow night, the $8000 Sky Channel Claiming Pace, will not count towards either title.
