LOOKING for a good Bathurst shot when it comes to this year's Gold Crown series but don't really know one? Well, John Boserio's The Grogfather might be the cure to what ales you.
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While the two-year-old gelding certainly has a name which lends itself to a host of puns, on Monday at the Bathurst Paceway Boserio's The Grogfather showed he has talent as well.
He won in all the way fashion in the Cobbity Equine 2YO Colts and Geldings Pace (1,730 metres), finishing 7.1m clear of his nearest rival.
Given all but one of those rivals will line up in heats of the Gold Crown series later this month, the result was a good sign for Boserio.
Twelve moths ago the Bathurst trainer held one of the strongest hopes for the Gold Crown in Mistery Road. He had won three consecutive races, including the Group 2 Rod Fitzpatrick Memorial, in the lead up to the carnival.
Mistery Road then won his Gold Crown heat in impressive fashion, but from barrier six in the Group 1, $100,000 decider he got caught three wide and ended up placing ninth.
But now Boserio has another handy prospect in his Warrawee Needy x Satellite Star gelding The Grogfather.
He won two of his three trials before placing fifth on debut at Menangle, and on Monday with Bernie Hewitt in the gig, The Grogfather notched up his maiden race win.
He got home in a 28.6 seconds final quarter for a 1.58:0 mile rate, but Hewitt admitted The Grogfather ($3.70 favourite) was in cruise mode as he hit the line.
The 2018 Gold Crown winning trainer-driver was impressed.
"John has done a great job with him, Anthony [Frisby] has done all the driving with him in the trials and they've both done a good job," Hewitt said.
"He drew nicely, got out well and was always in control. He did throttle down that last 50 metres, I never popped the plus on him, he did it himself.
"But I think he still had a fair bit up his sleeve."
Going from barrier two, The Grogfather showed good gate speed to take the lead and quickly cross to the pegs.
From there he always looked in control.
While Uncle Lukey came three wide as the bell sounded and moved up on the outside of the favourite, Hewitt responded by urging his runner to lift the tempo.
The Grogfather zipped through the bend to have a handy break over his rivals at the top of the home straight. Hewitt took a quick look over his shoulder, but with 100m to go knew the win was his.
Second went to Steve Turnbull's Mach Daddy while Michael Muscat's My Buzz Lightning finished well on the inside to nab third.
Wednesday's 12-race meeting at Bathurst will commence with a pair of two-year-old contests which will feature more Gold Crown hopefuls.
