“He is a grumpy old bugger, he does not like being fussed over and he is just one of the crew,” Dickson said.
“He is the boss though, he will put his head around and give you a nip if you are not watching him.
“Other than that, he is just easy to get along with.
“When you go the races, he is a different horse, you cannot get along with him – he will kick, head butt and bite you at the track.
“He is switched on at the races and knows he is there to race.
“Racing every Tuesday, it just clicks with him, he will never leave a grain of oat; he just eats everything, he is a guts.”
Over the years the old boy has had a number of drivers, 10 in total driving him to a victory from 28 individual drivers who have sat behind him, with leading Queensland reinsman Peter “Leader Peter” McMullen the most successful, collecting nine wins.
These days, his regular driver is Angus “The Kid” Garrard, who enjoys his Tuesday afternoons with Lancelot Bromac even when they can be a bit curious at times.
“Having over 400 starts, he is a bit smarter than us most of the time, he is a bit different but he is a nice horse to drive,” Garrard said.
“Lately he has been racing super and he does not show any signs of slowing down.
“He knows what he is doing.
“He can switch off at different times and you just need to stay on him as a driver.
“You do not win 30-odd races if you are no good and hopefully there is a few more left in him yet.”
Dickson credits McMullen’s efforts in the early days for making him the pacer he is today.
Starting his career out with trainer Shannon Price, Dickson recalls his stable newcomer back then being sluggish and wayward, not knowing how to race properly, before his efforts - contributed by McMullen - eventually got his mind on the job.
At Caboolture, Dickson has two tracks to work his team on – a 700-metre sand track and an almost mile long surface for fast work – after starting his training and driving career in Cairns, where he grew up.
A happy and sound Lancelot Bromac can be found at the property, living his day out in a paddock, instead of a box, and getting regular swims.
“It is just the little things, you know, in the night-time and he is out in the paddock, he can see me in the feed room and if he does not get fed first, he can get cranky,” Dickson, who cut his teeth in show jumping, said.
“He has his little quirks.
“He is as sound as you would want him at this moment.
“Even when the other horses are going to the races and he is not going that day, you can tell he wants to be going with them.
“He is just one of those characters.”
Lancelot Bromac's best results came during the weekly Rising Stars Championship series a few years ago, where he won a couple of races and was placed on several other occasions.
A total of 30 victories, as well as 120 minor placings, for $339,055 in prize money is on Lancelot Bromac’s resume – but for Manners, it is about more than winning or losing.
“I have great respect for Stew for what he has done and how he cares for the horse,” Manners said.
“I am fortunate to be along for the ride.
“I have had a lot of fun owning the horse, it is not about results or wins, it is about two blokes having fun racing a horse together.”