Barry Lew received an early Christmas present in Bathurst on Wednesday evening, with Karloo Bodacious storming home to secure a maiden win in the 3YO Boxing Day Pace.
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The Lew trained Gelding, driven by Mat Rue, had come close in recent meetings in Dubbo but the partnership had their work cut out from that against the Bernie Hewitt trained The Mustang.
Drawing the fourth barrier in the front row, Karloo Bodacious made a quick start from the gate and jostled for the lead with the Nathan Hurst trained Gabbys Ideal early.
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Rue found space on the outside of the first turn, first taking, then extending an early lead before slipping back on the inside and holding that position along the straight.
From that point on, the pairing didn't slip from first, with Karloo Bodacious and Rue holding a tight, but well paced lead as the rest of the field jostled for second.
The Melissa Heer trained, Kellie Munro driven Firehouse made an effort along the final stretch, but it was the Hewitt's The Mustang who slipped around the outside and gave Karloo Bodacious a scare, coming within a neck's length of stealing a victory as the three crossed the finish together.
The winning mile rate of 1.59.6, was Karloo Bodacious' best result in seven starts.
The maiden win wasn't the only important milestone crossed during the evening's races in Bathurst, with trainer and driver Nathan Turnbull totalling up 200 career wins earlier in the racing schedule.
Turnbull steered the $3.80 Carramar Times Up to victory in the Zagro Pace and celebrated both a win for the horse over a longer distance than usual, but also his own achievement.
But Turnbull revealed afterwards the distance was not his concern, but rather how Carramar Times Up would fare from barrier five.
"I knew that [distance] wouldn't be the drama, I knew the line would hold the front so I knew I was up against it coming from back in the field and I had to get going a bit sooner than I wanted," he said.
"But she was good enough to hold them off there in the end. She took a lot of working out ... but she seems to have her head screwed on at the moment. It's super good to do it with this horse, the 200th win, because she's taken so much training to get going."
It was Enk Spot Shannon who held the lead from barrier one, while Turnbull found himself one-out and three back as the bell sounded.
Down the back straight he made his move, guiding Carramar Times Up forward on a three-wide charge.
As they balanced at the top of the straight the mare was eye-balling Enk Spot Shannon and with 50m to go, she had her head in front, clocking up a 1:56.8 mile rate.
