Six-gun trainer breaks record

WHEN leading trainer Scott Brunton fronted up to the meeting in Hobart yesterday, he needed only one winner to claim the all-time Tasmanian training record.

He didn’t have to wait long – his talented two-year-old filly Rubinic emerged triumphant in the opening race on the nine-event card to take Brunton’s season tally to 89.

It eclipsed the previous best of 88 he shared with his father David that was set in the 2009-10 season when they trained in partnership.

Not content with the one winner, Brunton proceeded to saddle up another five to end the day on 94 wins and with a chance of preparing 100 or more winners in a season with three meetings remaining.

Brunton was elated with the day’s results that ended when Nunivak returned to racing from a lengthy spell with an emphatic win in the last race.

“I thought I had some decent winning chances today, but to end up with six wins was brilliant,” Brunton said.

“You don’t set out to break records and when they come along it’s nice. But this one is special because I never thought we’d ever have another season like we did when Dad and I trained 88 winners seven years ago.

“We race pretty much once a week so it’s a fair effort to snare this many winners, but it takes a whole lot of good, reliable and hardworking people to make it happen.

“I’ve still got Dad to guide me when needed and David Pires, who’ll win his third jockeys’ premiership in a row, has been great for the stable.”

Brunton doesn’t take many of his team to Devonport to race on the synthetic and two of the last three meetings are at that venue, but he is hoping to have another good day in Hobart in a fortnight.

“If I am to train 100 or more for the season, I reckon most of the last six will have to come in Hobart in a fortnight because I’ll have a lot of runners that day, but whatever the outcome we’ve had a good season,” Brunton said.

Several of his winners yesterday were heavily backed, including Orange River ($8 into $5.50) which was having its first start for the stable since being transferred from Patrick Payne’s yard in Melbourne.

The shock winner for Brunton was three-year-old filly Bastetani ($19.30) at only her second start.

But Brunton was especially pleased with the win of Nunivak in a Benchmark 62 handicap over 1000m, in what was his first start in seven months.

“Nunivak could have been anything. After he won on debut two years ago he went to Darren Weir [top Victorian trainer] and he told us he was a serious horse but he broke down with a rare foot problem and we’ve been trying to get him right ever since,” he said.

“He can still win races as long as he stays sound.”