The decision by Warrnambool trainer Geoff Withers to back-up in-form galloper Crafty Boss over the border paid dividends in the last Friday’s Mount Gambier Gold Cup.


Coming off a Caulfield placing in the $250,000 Country Mile a week earlier, Crafty Boss jumped the border and thrived on a solid race tempo before proving too smart for rivals in the $72,500 feature.


“It’s amazing,’’ Withers said of the Cup win.


“When the pace was on, I had a little chuckle, it worked out beautifully.


“He’s the best one I have had.”


Withers was quick to pay credit to fellow Warrnambool horseman Pat Ryan who said the Mount Gambier feature would be ideal following his city placing a week earlier.


“Pat came down with me (to Melbourne) and looked after the horse after the race,’’ Withers said.


“He said the horse pulled up so well and should go to Mount Gambier so that’s what we did.”


Crafty Boss was the second leg of a riding double for Alana Kelly after winning with the Kelvin Bourke-trained Lucky Compass earlier in the day.


Kelly has built an impressive record on Withers’ horses, mainly Crafty Boss, having won three of seven rides for the hobby trainer.


“I have got a great record with Geoff and he’s just the best person ever,’’ Kelly said.


“I really enjoy riding winners for him.”


Murray Bridge horseman Matthew Seyers took training honours with a Cup Day double.


Collated broke his maiden earlier in the day with Jess Tzaferis in the saddle before Frankel Star claimed a heat of the Provincial Pathways Series, the second leg of a riding double for local lad Jacob Opperman.