Champion trainer Chris Waller has a happy knack for unearthing top class back season juveniles and exciting Toronado (IRE) colt Tron Bolt has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past month and capped his ascendance with a dominant victory in the $1million Group I BRC JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Sporting the colours of Hermitage Thoroughbreds that were carried by The Autumn Sun to win this race back in 2018 for the Waller stable, Tron Bolt was sent off as a short priced favourite with James McDonald to ride.
A dominant winner at his last two runs in Sydney over 1300 and 1400m with his last start win on a heavy track, the only real question mark for Tron Bolt today was stepping up to 1600m for the first time.
The good looking bay colt had no issues in that department, settling kindly for McDonald before surging away to win by more than a length over Maurice (Jpn) colt Cormier, who chased him home last start at Rosehill, with his stablemate Stormy Marco (Wootton Bassett (GB) in third place .
“It's the race that we pick out from a long way out. It's an integral part of the Queensland Winter Carnival, it's been a massive stepping stone for a lot of our great horses, this race in particular. Even without winning it, Brazen Beau ran second, Zoustar ran second, they've come out to be multiple Group I winners and champion sires,” Waller said.
Tron Bolt has the overall record of three wins and a placing from four starts with prizemoney topping $714,000 and holds the promise of much more to come next season.
“He's a real cool dude. Nothing worries him. He really is a special horse for that reason and obviously he can run fast as well, but that attitude, that'll take him a long way,” said Waller.
"He's a lovely type and that suggests to me that he is a miler. He's not an out-and-out sprinter, but he is good enough to win shorter races as well, so it'll be exciting to see where he heads.
"You always try and win something shorter like a Golden Rose (G1) at our home track so we'll try and use the Golden Rose as a stepping stone to either a Coolmore (G1 1200m) up the straight, but for this horse's example it would be more to a Caulfield Guineas (G1 1600m)."
Tron Bolt topped the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale last year for Hunters Lodge when selling for $900,000 and was a super successful pinhook having been sourced by Hunter’s Lodge and Liam Ruddy for $250,000 from the Gilgai Farm draft at Inglis Easter.
A horse that is no stranger to making a big impression, Tron Bolt earned high praise from James McDonald who feels he “can reach great heights”.
Tron Bolt was bred by Gilgai Farm and is the first foal from Group III winning Casino Prince mare Baccarat Baby, who was bought by Dermot Farrington on behalf of Gilgai at the 2022 Magic Millions National Sale conducted Spendthrift Dispersal for $900,000.
Baccarat Baby is a half-sister to triple Group I winner Duais, who is now part of the Yulong broodmare band, and Group II winner Philia, who made $1.4million at this year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale when purchased by Katsumi Yoshida.
Baccarat Baby has a yearling colt by Toronado that Gilgai Farm sold at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale last year for $110,000, but has slipped and missed in two subsequent seasons, so no doubt her owners will be hoping she goes in foal this spring.
Famed for producing champions such as Black Caviar, All Too Hard, Ole Kirk and more recent G1 winner Nepotism, Gilgai Farm were active at the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale this year securing Group II placed So You Think mare So Glamorous for $675,000 and stakes-winning Brutal mare Harlem Queen for $400,000.
They were also active at Inglis Chairman’s Sale securing Group III winning Tavistock mare Good Banter (NZ) for $350,000 and Group II winning Sacred Falls mare Eternal Flame (NZ) for $400,000.
Tron Bolt is the seventh Group I winner for Swettenham Stud’s Toronado, who stands this spring at a fee of $88,000.
