Swettenham Stud sire Host (Chi) unearthed another classic candidate on Thursday when Tronador toughed out a strong victory at Ballarat.
He joins Host gelding Philippi who was promoted to $7 second-favouritism for the G1 Victoria Derby after winning the Listed UCI Stakes at Flemington last Saturday.
Tronador (3g Host – Tiffany’s Best by Soviet Lad) sat three wide in the Seymours Maiden Plate (1600m) and was still punching at the post to score by the best part of a length. It was the last of three races run before the meeting was abandoned.
Next stop for the progressive three year-old is the Listed Geelong Classic (2200m) on October 24. “He was entitled to stop but kept kicking,” trainer Danny Laws said at Ballarat. “We will roll the dice at Geelong and then send him to the paddock before coming back for the autumn.”
Tronador was a $36,000 buy from Oakford Thoroughbreds the 2011 Adelaide Magic Millions. “We nearly didn’t make it to the sale – the Qantas flight had to make an emergency landing,” Laws recalled. “He looked a nice, athletic type, like most of the Hosts.
“I kept a share and brought in John Clark, his partner Sheila Smith, Tom Mees and Brian Volk. They’re terrific owners and I’m thrilled how things are turning out for them.”
Making his debut as recently as August 20, Tronador worked home nicely at Echuca after striking interference at the top of the straight. “That was a good run and then I put him under the pump second-up over 1600m last month,” Laws revealed. “He wasn’t fit enough to run it out so it was a really big effort to finish fourth to Transonic.
“Stevie Arnold got off and said he would win next time. And then Transonic came out and won again at Mornington earlier this week.
“That gave us a fair degree of confidence before it starting raining. He got through it okay but it was bad enough for the stewards to call the meeting off!”
Host (Hussonet) has emerged as one of Australia’s leading second-season sires and that has instigated an overwhelming response from broodmare owners in the last month. Swettenham Stud is closing off his ‘early bird’ service fee of $5,000 (inc gst) this weekend.
For further information, breeders can contact nominations manager Chris Belli on 0417 514 552 or Swettenham owner Adam Sangster on 0418 543 633.
– Karl Patterson
TRONADOR
Host 3YO pictured before the 2011 Adelaide Magic Millions