Adrian Bott made a high-flying start to his life as co-trainer to Gai Waterhouse on Saturday - their first winner in partnership coming in stakes grade.
Thronum's thrilling win over Mediterranean in the Listed Rosebud (1200m) was a milestone for the 28-year-old, the son of businessman and owner/breeder Tony Bott of Evergreen Stud Farm.
Given the climate in NSW at the moment, all six runners in the new Bott/Waterhouse partnership have ran on Heavy tracks this week - but it suited the Snitzel colt right down to the ground.
"That was one horse we were happy to see the rain for going into the race," Bott told Racing.com's Racing Ahead on RSN 927.
"We knew from his previous runs he could handle it with ease, and he proved that.
"Mediterranean's certainly a talented horse, so it'll be a nice form race going forward."
Given the climate in NSW at the moment, all six runners in the new Bott/Waterhouse partnership have ran on Heavy tracks this week - but it suited the Snitzel colt right down to the ground.
"That was one horse we were happy to see the rain for going into the race," Bott told Racing.com's Racing Ahead on RSN 927.
"We knew from his previous runs he could handle it with ease, and he proved that.
"Mediterranean's certainly a talented horse, so it'll be a nice form race going forward."
Bott said the son of Helena's Secret could go straight into the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) on September 10, with a decision still to be finalised if they have another lead-in run.
Bott detailed his journey to becoming a partner to a Melbourne Cup-winning trainer.
"I was fortunate enough to have that foundation being born into the industry," he said.
"I grew up in the Hunter Valley in Scone at the then-Segenhoe Stud, and growing up around the horses all your life doing yearling preparations, attending sales... it was good to have an early foundation as that.
"I then worked as a cadet steward at Racing NSW, which gave me a different introduction to the racing industry. I could learn all the rules of racing, and see it from a different perspective.
"That led to a scholarship with the Darley Flying Start - it's a two-year program based at their studs internationally, England, Ireland, America, Dubai and here in Australia.
"That helped kick-start it all, and when I finished there, there was an opening at Gai's.
"Dad's always raced horses with Gai over the years, I knew Gai from an early age, and it was a great way to kick it off."
The stakes only continue to get bigger in the infancy of Bott's training career, with El Divino and Scarlet Rain at the Randwick trials on Tuesday.
The pair trialled behind Capitalist on July 29, and on Tuesday, Scarlet Rain is up against Winx in the morning's opening trial at 815am, while the latter's half-brother El Divino jumps in the third trial at 835am.
Manhattan Rain filly Scarlet Rain was unbeaten prior to bottoming out in the Golden Slipper this year, and Bott flagged the Melbourne Spring Carnival for her after she kicks off her campaign in Sydney.