Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Tron Bolt fires towards Queensland targets
A dominant maiden victory on the Kensington has connections dreaming of bigger targets for Tron Bolt (Toronado {Ire}), with the expensive Inglis Ready2Race graduate producing an explosive turn of foot to stamp himself as a colt with serious upside ahead of a potential Queensland campaign.
Before the race, Chris Waller looked to have a stranglehold on the 2-year-old opener at Kensington on Wednesday with three of the seven runners, headed by favourite Unhinged (Snitzel) and the second elect Tron Bolt, and it was the latter who proved far too strong under James McDonald.
Tron Bolt had hinted at his ability on debut at Kembla Grange when third behind the promising Katono (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Unhinged, and he took a significant step forward second-up with a commanding display.
The Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Rolling Home (Bivouac) rolled to the front early, with the Waller pair camped just behind the speed. Nash Rawiller aboard Unhinged looked a major threat upon straightening, but once McDonald angled Tron Bolt clear from behind runners the result was never in doubt.
The colt let down impressively to score by just under three lengths, with Rolling Home sticking on for second ahead of Unhinged, who peaked late but still performed creditably.
Tron Bolt | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“I was very impressed. As we touched on pre-race, he was a nice, Ready 2 Race horse, and he's impressed us since day one. I wouldn't say I was surprised he got beaten on debut, but I'm certainly not surprised to see him win as well as he did today,” Chris Waller said.
“I was very impressed. As we touched on pre-race, he was a nice, Ready 2 Race horse, and he's impressed us since day one.” - Chris Waller
“He’ll race again in two and a half weeks, there’s the Sires Produce in Queensland or there is a 1300m event at Rosehill, so he will race in one of those two and if he can win or run well we will go to the JJ Atkins. He will get a mile easy.”
James McDonald was equally taken with the colt’s professionalism and upside.
“He's a cool dude. He just takes everything in his stride, so there's a lot to like about him,” he said.
“He's an expensive ready to runner, and he's put them to the sword today, probably not the strongest field in the world, but all he can do is win and he did so in style.
“He's (Tron Bolt) an expensive ready to runner, and he's put them to the sword today, probably not the strongest field in the world, but all he can do is win and he did so in style.” - James McDonald
“I like how he's got gate speed and he switches off, so it bodes well for the future, especially if they go into bigger races like the JJ Atkins.”
Toronado (Ire) had a double at Kensington with Theblade winning the last on the card to take his record to four wins.
Sales info: Tron Bolt was originally purchased by Hunter Lodge and Liam Ruddy for $250,000 from the Gilgai Farm draft at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. He was then re-offered by Hunter's Lodge at the 2025 Inglis Ready2Race Sale where Hermitage Thoroughbreds paid $900,000 for the son of Toronado.
Pedigree info: Tron Bolt is the first foal out of Baccarat Baby (Casino Prince), she was a very smart mare winning eight times including in the G3 Sunshine Coast Guineas, and the Listed Princess Stakes.
Tron Bolt as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Baccarat Baby was purchased by Dermot Farrington on behalf of Gilgai at the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale Spendthrift Dispersal for $900,000.
Baccarat Baby is very well-bred being a three-quarter-sister to the Group 2 and Listed winner Philia (All Too Hard) who sold at last week's Inglis Chairman’s Sale to K Yoshida for $1.4 million and a half-sister to the triple Group 1 winner Duais (Shamus Award).
This is also the extended family of the very successful stallions Flying Spur and Encosta De Lago.
Baccarat Baby, in recent times, has left a Toronado yearling colt and has unfortunately slipped to Toronado and missed to Castelvecchio the last two seasons.
Has Chispa powered her way into Oaks contention?
The Chris Waller and James McDonald combination struck again as the progressive staying filly Chispa (NZ) (Savabeel) announced herself as a genuine black-type prospect on the Kensington, producing a powerful finishing burst against older horses and strengthening her claims for a possible Queensland Oaks campaign with her second career victory.
Taking on seasoned opposition in a BM64 over 1800 metres, the 3-year-old filly settled back before unleashing a powerful finishing burst to score by more than two and a half lengths in a performance that suggested bigger staying targets may now beckon.
The race was run at a genuinely strong tempo, with several runners eager to settle on speed. Affermato (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {Ire}), ridden by apprentice Olivia Chambers, eventually crossed to lead, while the well-supported Luna Bay (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) settled midfield and Chispa relaxed near the tail of the field.
McDonald made a decisive move before the home turn, angling the filly to the outside before straightening, and she quickly rounded up the leaders with an impressive turn of foot.
After surging to the front inside the final furlong, Chispa sustained her run strongly to score convincingly from the brave Affermato, who stuck on gamely despite the searching tempo. Stay Tuned (Prized Icon) filled fifth, just over five lengths from the winner.
Chispa (NZ) | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Sales info: Chispa was bred and is raced by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds
Pedigree info: Chispa is out of the Group 3 winning Irish mare Scintillula (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who was also placed at Group 1 level and ran fourth in the G1 Irish Oaks and the G1 Yorkshire Oaks.
She has been a very good broodmare for Pencarrow Thoroughbreds leaving five winners including the Listed winner Waikato Girl (NZ) (Savabeel) and the Group 2-placed Butter Chicken (NZ) (Savabeel).
The family is full of European blacktype performers and her grandam Scibonia (Ire) is by Danehill (USA), so with the first two dams being by Galileo (Ire) and Danehill, it doesn’t get much better than that in terms of blood.
Since producing Chispa, Scintillula has produced a 2-year-old colt named Sauvignon Bloke (NZ) (Savabeel), and a weanling filly by Satono Aladdin (Jpn), she was served by Super Seth last spring.
Home Invasion too slick at Bendigo
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Home Invasion (Home Affairs) produced a slick front-running performance to break through in the 1000-metre 2-year-old maiden at Bendigo on Wednesday.
Ridden positively by Jordan Childs, the filly controlled proceedings throughout and proved too quick for her opposition, further boosting the growing reputation of her in-form sire Home Affairs becoming his 11th first-crop winner.
Home Invasion had previously raced in strong company, finishing a close-up fifth in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes behind Shiki (Too Darn Hot {GB}) back in October when well supported in betting. Following a break and a series of solid trials, she returned a much more furnished racehorse.
Video: Watch Home Invasion in race 3 at Bendigo, video courtesy of Racing.com
Childs quickly found the lead and never surrendered it. Swooshka (Finance Tycoon) worked across from a wide gate under Beau Mertens, while the well-backed favourite Oceans Blue (Bivouac) enjoyed a soft run in transit behind the speed.
Home Invasion travelled strongly into the straight and when Childs asked her to extend, she responded immediately. Exacting Standard (I Am Invincible), prepared by Shane Nichols and Hayden Black, loomed as the danger late but could not reel her in, finishing half a length away.
Home Invasion | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Oceans Blue was held up at a crucial stage from the trail and did well to grab third without ever fully seeing daylight. She looks one to follow next start.
“She was primed coming in here today. Her last jump out at Werribee was really good and the team came here confident. I'm glad she could deliver,” said Jordan Childs.
“She (Cherry Hills) was primed coming in here today. Her last jump out at Werribee was really good and the team came here confident. I'm glad she could deliver.” Jordan Childs
“She's shown good speed in her jump outs and in her previous start as well, so we wanted to use that speed and her race experience today.
“First time going Melbourne way, it’s always beneficial when they can find the rail as it just helps guide them a little bit better, so when she jumped so well, I had no hesitation going to the front.
Jordan Childs | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“Her determination and her will to win will take her a long way, because you know, every time she goes out, she's going to try 100%. So hopefully she can keep improving and win better races.”
Sales info: Darby Racing purchased Home Invasion from Segenhoe Stud’s 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft for $220,000.
Home Invasion as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Pedigree info: Home Invasuion is the third foal of Catwalk (Foxwedge), who won in Sydney as a June 2-year-old, and is a full sister to Listed winner Fox Swift (Foxwedge). This is also the family of the talented 2-year-old Incognito (Stay Inside), who won the G3 Breeders’ Plate earlier this season and has run fourth in the G3 Todman Stakes, G2 Silver Slipper Stakes and the G3 Kindergarten Stakes.
Catwalk, in recent times, has left yearling and weanling fillies by Anamoe, and was served by Harry Angel (Ire) last October.
Cherry Hills digs deep on debut
The Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Cherry Hills (Shamus Award) delivered at her first start with a deserved debut victory over 1300 metres at Bendigo on Wednesday.
After catching the eye in both a jump-out and trial win prior to raceday, the 3-year-old filly proved too tough for her rivals, scoring by just under half a length under Luke Currie after doing plenty of work throughout.
There was genuine tempo from the outset as favourite Zephyr Song (Zoustar) speared to the front for Jordan Childs. Currie was intent on keeping the pressure on, pushing Cherry Hills across from a wide draw to sit outside the leader and ensure the favourite never got an easy time in front.
Video: Watch Cherry Hills in race 1 at Bendigo, video courtesy of Racing.com
Zephyr Song kicked strongly at the top of the straight and briefly looked to have shaken off the challenger, but Cherry Hills refused to yield and kept finding under pressure to wear her down late.
Faith In Zadar (Dirty Work) and Goodness (NZ) (Unusual Suspect {USA}) charged home late to fill the placings after Zephyr Song faded late, the placegetters both enjoyed softer runs off the hot speed so were entitled to run on, but the honours clearly belonged to the winner.
Sales info: Cherry Hills was purchased for $120,000 by Paul Moroney Bloodstock and C Bruggeman from the Ultra Thoroughbred Racing draft at the 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Cherry Hills as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Pedigree info: Cherry Hills is the first foal out of Zombie Witness (Star Witness) who was placed as a juvenile. Cherry Hills grandam Zombie Dancer (Encosta De Lago) was a dual winner and placed in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet. She is a half-sister to the Group 2 winner Poland (So You Think {NZ}).
This is also the extended family of the Champion mare Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}).
In recent times, Zombie Witness has produced a yearling filly by Shamus Award, a weanling filly from the first crop of Widden Stud’s G1 JJ Atkins winner King Colorado, she is being offered by Sullivan Bloodstock as Lot 216 at the upcoming Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, and she was served last spring by Mo’Unga (NZ).
