The teenager clocked a time of 29 minutes and 12 seconds to follow up his win on home turf at Peebles in November in 23:31.
Second and third places at the weekend went to Edinburgh entrants Charles Houston and Julian Barrable respectively, in times of 29:27 and 29:47.
Lauderdale Limper Marc Wilkinson – winner of the series’ meeting at Spittal in December in 22:30 and runner-up at Lauder in 27:51 and Peebles in 23:56 in November – was the only other Borderer to make the top five of a field of 239, placing fourth in 30:11, but Teviotdale Harrier Rory Anderson wasn’t too far off, getting back sixth in 31:08.
Hilton’s only prior top-five placing of this series was fourth at Lauder in 27:57, behind Edinburgh’s Tom Martyn, winner in 26:15; Wilkinson; and Corstorphine Amateur Athletics Club’s Barrable, third in 27:55.
Martyn, of the capital’s Hunters Bog Trotters club, is level with Hilton on two wins to date this series, his other having been at Paxton in 22:59.
Gala Harriers Gary Trewartha, Iain Stewart and Zico Field also made the top 20, finishing respectively 12th in 31:56, 15th in 32:25 and 17th in 32:37. Trewartha was also second-speediest man over the age of 40.
Three further runners from the region managed top-30 finishes – Teviotdale’s Mark Young, 23rd in 33:27; Lauderdale’s Leahn Parry, 28th in 34:16; and Gala’s Tim Darlow, 29th in 34:20 – and Moorfoot’s Daniel Lavin and Cameron Munro weren’t far behind, making it home 34th in 34:54 and 38th in 35:09.
Londoner Hollie Hindley was first female finisher among the 94 competing, and 33rd overall, in a time of 34:43.
Gala’s Katie Rourke was the first female Borderer back, crossing the line as fourth woman, and 51st all told, in 36:32.
Moorfoot’s Carol Moss was the speediest of the 27 women over 50 running, and 78th altogether, in 38:28, with Gala’s Gillian Lunn third in that bracket, and 103rd overall, in 40:36.
Moorfoot’s Mike Goddard was fastest of the four men over 70 taking part, clocking 43:04 to get back 136th all told.
Sunday’s meeting in East Lothian was the fifth out of eight, with the three left to go, all on Sundays too, taking place at Denholm on February 4, Duns on February 18 and Galashiels on March 10, with presentations to follow at the Focus Centre in Livingston Place.
See also …
1. Sunday's Borders Cross-Country Series senior race at Dunbar
Moorfoot Runners junior Thomas Hilton winning Sunday's Borders Cross-Country Series senior race at Dunbar in 29:12 Photo: Steve Cox
2. Sunday's Borders Cross-Country Series senior race at Dunbar
Lauderdale Limper Marc Wilkinson finished fourth in 30:11 in Sunday's Borders Cross-Country Series senior race at Dunbar Photo: Steve Cox
3. Sunday's Borders Cross-Country Series senior race at Dunbar
Gala Harriers junior Zico Field was 17th in 32:37 in Sunday's Borders Cross-Country Series senior race at Dunbar Photo: Steve Cox
4. Sunday's Borders Cross-Country Series senior race at Dunbar
Gala Harrier Katie Rourke was 51st in 36:32 in Sunday's Borders Cross-Country Series senior race at Dunbar Photo: Steve Cox