After drawing the highest bid at breeze-up sales, Tron Bolt is gearing up for a Group 1 challenge following his decisive midweek triumph at Randwick’s Kensington venue.
A $900,000 acquisition for Hermitage Thoroughbreds – marking the record for a colt from an Inglis Ready2Race event – the horse targets the J J Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm next month, likely via the Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
“There’s the Sires’ Produce in Queensland. It’s two-and-a-half weeks (away), or the same day at Rosehill there’s a 1300. It will be one of the two,” trainer Chris Waller said of Tron Bolt’s next start.
“Ideally, he can win then or run well and go to the J J Atkins.
“He was a nice Ready-To-Run horse, and he’s impressed us since day one.”
This Toronado offspring, Tron Bolt ($2.70), ran third in his April debut at Kembla Grange but dominated Wednesday’s Hawaii Five Oh @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1400m).
With James McDonald aboard, he surged late to prevail by three lengths over Rolling Home ($8.50), as stable companion Unhinged ($2.50 fav) filled third a long head behind.
Chris Waller has proven adept at selecting two-year-olds that mature into Queensland carnival stars, notably for the J J Atkins, viewing Tron Bolt as ideal.
“It works well, and we’ve had it in mind for him for a while,” he said.
“He obviously needed to win today. He is a lovely, scopey horse, that’s why I’m thinking a mile.”
This week’s announcement of a spell for St Gotthard, the Ken Russell Memorial Classic winner from Saturday, doesn’t weaken Waller’s Atkins assault.
Stormy Marco, victor of the Clarendon Stakes, and Nation’s League, the runner-up who scratched midweek at Kensington, accompany Tron Bolt towards the juvenile prize.
“They need to keep improving,” Waller said.
“I like to give them a run or two at two, otherwise they find it hard to measure up at three.”
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