Vi Et Animo won the $25,000 group two Forbury Park Championship in the hands of Brent, the right-hand man for his father, Gil, in the operation of a stable at Invercargill.
The Championship was opened to 5yr-old pacers this year after being restricted to 4yr-olds since it was established in 1977.
Gil trained and drove Nojestic who finished second to Scots Whae Hae in the 1990 final when the series had two preludes.
Nojestic finished second in a prelude. Gil trained and drove Majestic Major who finished second to Trusty Scot in a heat of the inaugural series in 1977.
Brent drove Mister Dale, who finished second to Camero in the 2002 Championship when it was confined to one race.
"It was a race I always wanted to win," Brent said.
Gil phoned the club early last week to check that the programme was correct, allowing the 5yr-old Vi Et Animo to start.
He offered to nominate the horse immediately. A start from 20m in a $25,000 race was ideal for Vi Et Animo, who has been racing mainly from long handicaps in Southland. He has now won 16 races from 46 starts and the $16,000 first prize took his stake earnings to $202,494.
His next assignment is the Country Cups Final on his home track on April 30.
Vi Et Animo won the Wyndham Cup last month for Invercargill owners, Wayne and Allison McCulloch and Mary-Jane Thomas. The Pacific Rocket gelding won the 2010 Invercargill Cup.
Jonny Cox was suspended from driving on Tuesday and fined $250 for excessive use of the whip on Grant Us Peace (race 6). He admitted the charge.
