It is a bit scary to think it’s closing in on 25 years since the great Lyell Creek started stamping his dominance.

Time certainly flies.

It’s probably the most enjoyable chapter I’ve had in 35 years covering harness racing.

“The Freak” as he was affectionately known took us all on a heck of a ride and me around the world to see him take on the very best.

I’ll never forget that 2001 Elitlopp in Sweden where he was so unlucky not to qualify for the final, or seeing him race the stars at the famed Meadowlands track at the highest level in 2002.

And that’s not counting the countless trips across the ditch to watch Lyell Creek do his thing on both islands in NZ’s biggest races like the Rowe Cup and Dominion Trot.

Following him so closely, almost feeling part of the ride at times with trainer Tim Butt and driver Anthony Butt, is why he does and always will hold such a special place for me.

I never thought I’d see another Down Under trotter like him.

He’s the best I’ve seen.

Yes, before you scream “what about Maori’s Idol?”, I have to stress he was just before my time.

I did see him in the flesh once – at the opening of the Geelong’s Beckley Park track as a kid – but I’m too young to have lived the Maori’s Idol experience.

When Lyell Creek retired, a decade passed and some wonderful trotters followed.

Another decade and more fantastic trotters.

But The Freak still stood alone on that pedestal.

Until now. Until Just Believe.

As I sat and watched Just Believe cruise to yet another feature win at Ballarat last Thursday night, it dawned on me I had to show him more respect.

As great as Lyell Creek was, the sentimental connection I had with him was as much the reason I’d refused to rate one as good since.

Just Believe deserves that status.

If my life had been where it was in the Lyell Creek days, I’d have been there at Solvalla when Just Believe tackled the Elitlopp last year. I’d probably have stayed for his next couple of races, too.

We are blessed to have him.

And what he’s done over the past couple of years is nothing short of amazing.

Let’s look at some of the facts. They are amazing.

In 38 starts since joining Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars, Just Believe has raced 38 times for 27 wins, eight seconds and two thirds.

He has missed a place just once and that was when he struck trouble and broke in his heat of the Elitlopp. He showed how unlucky that was with two outstanding placings in his two other Swedish runs.

It’s no secret Tubbs and Sugars thought last year’s Swedish trip was a must, but could also take its toll.

They felt the champ may not be quite as good when he returned home.

Instead, he’s gone to another level with 19 starts since returning to racing Down Under last November for a staggering 17 wins and two seconds, including snaring majors in Melbourne, Brisbane, Cambridge and Auckland.

Just this week, Sugars said: “Just when you think both he (Just Believe) and Better Eclipse should have reached their peaks, they actually still seem to be improving.”

Let that sink in.

There’s more to come Just Believe, too.

We’ll get to see him a few times here in Victoria before he heads back to NZ for two races, headed by the $NZ400,000 Dominion, at Addington (Christchurch) on November 12.

Then he’ll try to do something no trotter has done – complete an Inter Dominion three-peat in Brisbane.

Bundle those together with a race like the Great Southern Star early next year and Just Believe is on target to top Lyell Creek – at least mathematically.

Lyell Creek is by far the all-time richest trotter in this part of the world with earnings of $2,256,724.

Just Believe is a clear second with $1,637,903.

Should his rampage roll through Christchurch, the Inter Dominion, the Great Southern Star and some other features, he will blast past The Freak’s bankroll.

For me now, it’s not about comparing Just Believe and Lyell Creek, it’s just about opening my mind to the idea that it's okay to enjoy a trotter as much as I did The Freak.

And Just Believe deserves that.