Kensington romp puts Tron Bolt on J J Atkins trail

Tron Bolt fetched the biggest sum at breeze-up sales and is now lined up for Group 1 honours after a thorough midweek conquest at Randwick’s Kensington track.

Hermitage Thoroughbreds invested $900,000 in the colt – the highest at Inglis Ready2Race – eyeing the J J Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm next month, with a potential stop at 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.”

Sired by Toronado, Tron Bolt ($2.70) ended third on his Kembla Grange debut in April, but elevated his game in Wednesday’s Hawaii Five Oh @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1400m).

James McDonald guided him to a powerful finish, securing victory by three lengths against Rolling Home ($8.50), with the favourite Unhinged ($2.50) from the same yard third by a long head.

Waller excels at nurturing later-developing juveniles for Queensland’s premier races including the J J Atkins, and sees Tron Bolt as a perfect candidate.

“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.”

Waller stays competitive in the Atkins despite St Gotthard, the recent Ken Russell Memorial Classic winner, entering a spell as confirmed this week.

Clarendon Stakes champion Stormy Marco and second-place getter Nation’s League – pulled out Wednesday at Kensington – are also bound for the juvenile showdown with Tron Bolt.

“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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