It broke an amazing stretch of 13 top five finishes without a win.

Gibson was beaten by the narrowest of margins by his training partner Jack Trounson at Ararat just two starts before.

Gibson turned the 100th of a second loss into a race win.

Gibson’s win denied club veteran Adrian van Raaphorst his only win in 2016.

Nathan Bendelle was short of race fitness after a long absence but produced the run of the day to record a personal best for the distance and a third placed finish.

Gibson has been the Stawell and Ararat Cross Country Club’s most consistent performer.

Gibson has posted two seconds, four thirds and seven fourths in a typically productive season.

Tattooed warrior Charlie Jones was having his 450^th start on Sunday but was forced to pull out of the handicap event with a hamstring strain.