HVP RACING FEATURE
CADE HUNTER
& HUNTERS LODGE
From a chance meeting at the pub to a $900,000 sale-topper and Group 1 winner.
Tron Bolt – the horse that sparked this HVP Racing Feature.
A BET AT THE PUB, THEN A STORY WORTH CHASING
I was standing near the pub’s betting machine when Cade Hunter’s grandfather asked if I could help him put a bet on a horse. That horse was Tron Bolt.
We got talking. He told me Tron Bolt had come through Hunters Lodge and started telling me about his grandson Cade – a young horseman from a showjumping family who had built an operation around educating and developing thoroughbreds.
The more he told me, the more interested I became. A horse bought for $250,000, developed through their system, then sold for $900,000. A young business trying to build its name the right way. And later, that same horse becoming a Group 1 winner.
I left thinking there had to be more to the story. So I reached out to Cade. And there certainly was.
HORSES FROM THE BEGINNING
For Cade Hunter, horses were never something he discovered later in life. They were always there.
“I was born into a showjumping family, so horses were always a big part of my life growing up. I spent most of my younger years around showjumpers and competing, so that passion came pretty naturally.
— CADE HUNTER
That upbringing gave Cade a foundation in horsemanship long before thoroughbred racing became the direction he wanted to take.
During high school, racing began to take a stronger hold. Cade knew he wanted to work with horses; what changed was knowing exactly where he wanted to do it.
“I always knew I wanted to work with horses in some capacity. During high school I became more interested in racing and realised that was the industry I wanted to build a career in.
— CADE HUNTER
LEARNING THE CRAFT
Before starting Hunters Lodge, Cade spent time in some outstanding horse environments. His background included work at Godolphin and later Vantage Hill, where he continued developing his understanding of young thoroughbreds and performance horses.
Ask Cade what shaped him most, though, and he comes back to the same fundamentals: feel, patience and understanding the individual horse.
“My background in showjumping and performance horses gave me a really strong foundation both in and out of the saddle. It taught me a lot about horsemanship, patience, feel and the day-to-day management of horses, which I still draw on every day.
— CADE HUNTER
PATIENCE BEFORE PRESSURE
That word – patience – runs through almost everything Cade says about educating young horses.
“It’s always easier to take your time and keep moving one step forward than to rush a horse and end up taking two steps backwards.
— CADE HUNTER
No two young horses learn or mature the same way. Some take things quickly, others need more time. Cade is reluctant to put a big label on a horse too early, even when it gives him an exciting feel.
“You definitely get horses that give you a really good feel, but there is still a long road between showing ability early and becoming a top racehorse.
— CADE HUNTER
For Cade, the job at that stage is not predicting what a horse will become. It is giving it every opportunity to get there.
BUILDING HUNTERS LODGE
Hunters Lodge was established in 2023 with a focus on breaking in, pre-training, spelling and educating thoroughbreds. Cade’s long-term ambition is to build a facility known for producing confident, professional horses with strong foundations.
“It really came from having a dream and a vision of building a property and stable recognised for developing and educating horses to become the best possible version of themselves.
— CADE HUNTER
Hunters Lodge, Glendon Brook, NSW.
THE TRON BOLT STORY
And then there is Tron Bolt – the horse that, without knowing it, is the reason this article exists.
Cade Hunter and Liam Ruddy bought the Toronado colt for $250,000 at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. He later formed part of their inaugural Hunters Lodge Ready2Race draft.
Their approach was not simply about producing the fastest possible breeze-up time. Hunter and Ruddy spoke publicly about wanting to educate horses as racehorses – giving them a proper foundation and not overdoing them just to impress on sale day.
YEARLING PURCHASE $250,000 – 2025 Inglis Easter
READY2RACE SALE Sold for $900,000 – 2025 Inglis Ready2Race
BUYER Hermitage Thoroughbreds
WHAT CAME NEXT Group 1 J.J. Atkins winner at Eagle Farm, June 2026
At the 2025 Inglis Ready2Race Sale, Hermitage Thoroughbreds paid $900,000 for Tron Bolt. He topped the sale and became the highest-priced colt sold at that auction.
Then the story got better. Trained by Chris Waller, Tron Bolt won the Group 1 J.J. Atkins at Eagle Farm at only his fourth career start in June 2026.
A $250,000 yearling. A $900,000 Ready2Race sale-topper. A Group 1 winner. For a young operation, it was a serious endorsement of the work behind the scenes.
READING THE YOUNG HORSE
One of Cade’s more interesting observations has nothing to do with times or pedigree. It is behaviour.
“When you work with a lot of young horses, you can often get a feel for their history pretty quickly. The way they react to pressure, people and different situations can tell you a lot about how they’ve been raised, handled and managed before they arrive.
— CADE HUNTER
That progression – watching a young horse gain confidence, strength and understanding – is what Cade describes as one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
WHAT MAKES A REALLY GOOD HORSE?
Cade’s answer is simple: balance and trainability.
“Ability obviously plays a huge part, but the really good horses tend to make things look easy. They’re balanced, they learn quickly and they have the temperament to handle what’s asked of them.
— CADE HUNTER
RACING NEEDS EVERYONE
Cade is equally passionate about the people around the horses. He believes the wider public often does not see just how much racing means to the people who make their lives in it.
“For a lot of people, racing isn’t simply a job or a matter of owning a horse, it’s a lifestyle.
— CADE HUNTER
If there is one thing he would protect as the sport continues to evolve, it is opportunity for smaller stables and smaller participants.
“Racing needs people at every level. A strong industry needs opportunities for everyone.
— CADE HUNTER
QUICK FIRE WITH CADE
Favourite racehorse Makybe Diva
Favourite racetrack Randwick
Favourite jockey to watch JMac
Trackwork or race day Trackwork
Coffee before work Absolutely
Biggest racing ambition To own a Group 1 horse
One word for Hunters Lodge Progressive
THE HORSE COMES FIRST
If someone was thinking about sending a horse to Hunters Lodge, Cade’s message is straightforward.
“The horse always comes first. Everything we do is based around giving each individual horse the time, education and management it needs.
— CADE HUNTER
He wants owners and trainers to receive a horse that is confident, professional and well educated – with a strong base for whatever comes next.
FULL CIRCLE
And that brings the story back to where it started.
A random conversation at the pub began with one bloke wanting a bet on his grandson’s former horse. The horse was Tron Bolt. A few minutes later I was hearing about Cade Hunter, Hunters Lodge and the journey behind them.
It was enough to make me curious. After speaking with Cade and digging into the story properly, I’m glad I followed it up.
Because sometimes racing’s best stories aren’t the ones you go looking for.
Sometimes they walk up beside you at the betting machine.
— HI-VIS PUNTERS
SOURCE CHECK
Key factual details in this feature were checked against Hunters Lodge’s official website, Inglis, ANZ Bloodstock News and published reporting on Tron Bolt. Cade Hunter’s quoted answers are from the interview provided directly to Hi-Vis Punters.
Key verified points: Hunters Lodge established in 2023; Tron Bolt purchased for $250,000 at the 2025 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale; sold for $900,000 at the 2025 Inglis Ready2Race Sale; won the Group 1 J.J. Atkins at Eagle Farm in June 2026.
