MASTER Melton horseman Lance Justice has claimed the race for the 2009-10 Victorian metropolitan trainers' premiership.

A winning double on Friday night's final metro meeting of the season at Tabcorp Park allowed Justice to pull away from his nearest rivals Tony Peacock and Glenn Douglas.

The trio entered the meeting locked together on 21 wins for the season, but quiet nights from Peacock and Douglas saw Justice finish two wins clear.

It was the fourth time in the past five years that Justice has won the trainers' title and the year he missed out he was beaten in the last race of the season by Peter Manning.

Fittingly, stable star Smoken Up was the horse that secured the title for Justice.

Justice entered the $20,000 Minuteman Free-For-All with a one-win lead, thanks to Vito Vito's dominant win in the first race, but Smoken Up ensured his master would win the premiership outright with yet another strong display.

Forced to sit parked from his outside-front-row draw, the $1.30 chance was under pressure following a 27.8-second third quarter before calling on his trademark courage over the final 300m.

He reeled in early leader Ti Vogliobene shortly after turning before edging away for a 1.6m win over the $20 chance. Cincinnati Kid ($9) was wide and last at the 350m but finished strongly for third, less than three metres away. A 28.4sec last quarter secured a 56.2sec final 800m and a solid 1:56 mile rate.

Last night's meeting also finalised the metropolitan drivers' premiership and Gavin Lang celebrated his third straight win with victory aboard Don King in the 2Construct Trotters Handicap.

A withering finish carried the star trotter to a second-up success and presented Lang with his 36th metro winner of the racing year. He finished seven clear of Chris Alford, who won The Graduate aboard $20 chance Arber.

Alford finished a narrow second aboard No Tar in the night's other $20,000 event, the Harness Breeders Vic 3YO Fillies Classic, which saw an upset win to the Kerryn Manning-trained-and-driven Our Ladylight ($13).

Miss Trickin Lombo, the $1.70 hot pot, had to be content with third.

Brad Bishop