You can see why the Gulgong trainer thinks so with both track veterans claiming racing careers as enduring as the other and personality to match.

Thompson, a former jockey and champion shearer, will celebrate his 70th birthday next month.

Star of Universe meanwhile was on track for his 174th start.

Thompson said he “isn’t the kindest” in the stable but gets the job done.

“You have to get them mentally right and he’s always mentally right to go,” Thompson said.

“He psychs himself up before the race.

“He’ll bite you and then kick you and then has about 10 pees.

“When I was a shearer I used to psych myself up too, you have too.”

The Thompson-owned and trained gelding which paid more than $40 with the bookies, belted home to win by a half-length from two horses whose combined age is only two-thirds to that of his own.

The victory left those trackside stunned in disbelief at the feat, not least Gunnedah Jockey Club president, Mal Walsh.

“Thirteen, I can’t believe it.. thirteen and still winning,” he beamed.

It’s Star of Universe’s 10th country cup and 19th career win; add to that another 43 placings and his longevity becomes even more astonishing.

Thompson attributes the horse’s continuing success to a unique training method.

“The only reason he lasts is the way I work them,” he said. 

“They don’t have jockeys on them, they just run themselves.

“It seems to work for me; I’ve won on 24 different tracks.”

The trainer told the story of  another horse he rode as a young apprentice, that similarly didn’t let age get the better of him.

“I was 14 (years old) and there was a horse that was 14 that I won on,” Thompson said. 

“That horse was called Johnnie Ray, who was a famous singer from England who sung Walking in the Rain.

“When I was in 2KY last week the bloke who owned the horse and trained it, said why don’t you tell them about when you rode old Johnny, or JR as they used to call him.

“I said because no-one would believe I was a jockey then,” he chuckled.

Just how many starts Star of Universe has in him is “hard to say”, the trainer said, "because he just loves racing".