The battle between rival trainers Steve Wolfe and Paul Hunter lived up to the hype when they shared the spoils in the Leading Great Southern Trainer Premiership.
Like two prize fighters going-head-to head in a 15-round heavyweight title fight the judges were unable to split the pair and declared the contest a draw.
Wolfe strutted his superiority early and appeared to have delivered a knockout punch when Harp Inn powered home strongly to win the opening event of the programme.
It stretched Wolfe’s lead to two but Hunter crawled off the canvas and immediately counter attacked when Our Royal Demon flooded home in the next.
Hunter, sensing his opportunity, seized the moment and delivered a fatal blow in race five when Talk Of Angels beat home stable mates Du Printemps and Le Sacre.
After a tense, tight, competitive and absorbing duel, Albany’s champion trainer title would come down to the final race.
Wolfe’s hopes rested with King Cubator, Sooky La La and Hot Rumour; Hunter was relying on Theseus to come through.
Spoiling the script was the Gerry Hughes-trained Jetson Express; holding out King Cubator and a Wolfe triumph by half-a-length.
After seven months of racing and 14 meetings for the 2013-14 season, Steve Wolfe and Paul Hunter shared honours as Albany’s champion trainer.
Steve Wolfe 22
Paul Hunter 22
Gerry Hughes 12
Allen McNamara 6
Angela Smith 6
Adam Durrant 6
Darren McAuliffe 6
Neil Lee 4.5
Robin Elliot 4
Gary Delane 4
Peter Western 3
Ken Nightingale 3