Dalby trainer Gilbert Baker prepared his first metropolitan winner with Anchor Bolt at Doomben on Saturday.

Anchor Bolt (5g Anabaa – Chris Penrod by Theatrical) held on for a half head win over the fast finishing Bootooloo in the IPCQ Infrastructure Hcp (1630m).

Gilbert has held a licence on and off for the past 15 years.  He’s from Charleville and ran a cattle property for many years but was forced into retirement because of poor health.

“I started fiddling around with a few horses about two years ago and decided to come back and give training another go,” Gilbert said.  “Anchor Bolt has been a good honest horse for me and, hopefully, we will be back for more in Brisbane.”

Anchor Bolt was sold for $400,000 as a yearling by Kia Ora Stud at the 2008 Inglis Easter Sale.  He only won a maiden for David Payne and was culled for a tenth of his original purchase price.

He has won 8 races for Gilbert including the Dalby Cup before they headed to Brisbane last weekend.

Anchor Bolt is from an unraced sister to WA based sire Startac who stands for a $4,400 fee at Westbury Farm near Pinjarra.  

Startac (Theatrical) was a G1 winner of the Secretariat Stakes in Chicago but has struggled to attract numbers with just 50 foals in his first three crops.

His sire Theatrical has 77 stakes winners on the board and his G1 winners in Australia have been Media Puzzle (2002 Melbourne Cup) and Portland Player (1996 Victoria Derby).