GOTTA GRUNTER SCORES AT NEWCASTLE
Gotta Grunter, a Timaru winner first-up for the Mark Jones stable on July 6, was also a first-up winner in New South Wales on Friday, August 22.
Now a stablemate of last Sunday’s Australasian Breeders Crown 4YO entires and geldings Final winner Marty Monkhouser in Shane Tritton’s Keinbah stables, Gotta Grunter pressed to the front from the eight gate at Newcastle.
Gotta Grunter scored by 3.3m from fellow ex-Kiwi (Our) Expressive Art in a 1:59.2 rate for the mobile 2030m.
The Gotta Go Cullect-Sheza Grunter gelding gets a chance for a final 3YO win in a $A12,000 age group pace at Tabcorp Park, Menangle, on Saturday night.
Gotta Grunter, from the four gate, again comes up against (Our) Expressive Art and other former Cantab pacers, Burning Cash and Heza Swinger.
He will again be driven by claiming junior Jamie-Lee King.
Gotta Grunter, formerly owned by co-breeders Pete Molloy and Ray Seebeck, was sold to clients of the Tritton stable after racing only twice in July for the Overport Lodge team.
He initially showed promise for Spreydon Lodge trainer Steve McRae.