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It’s been a massive week for Tasmania’s premier trainer Scott Brunton - but it ain’t over yet!
Brunton was the leading trainer over the two days the Launceston Cup carnival on Sunday and Wednesday, his team picking up five wins including the rich Magic Millions 3 & 4YO Classic on the first day with rising star Mandela Effect and the Listed Mowbray Stakes and Royal Rambo Quality on Wednesday with stable favourites Hellova Street and Lord Da Vinci.
The stable’s treble on Wednesday was special for Brunton as Hellova Street became one of the rare Tasmanian-trained gallopers to win more than $1 million prizemoney while the popular 8YO Lord Da Vinci ended his career in glory by winning his last race start.
Brunton’s week also included long hours at Launceston’s Inveresk Showground where he was among the leading buyers at the Tasmanian Magic Millions Yearling Sale, spending almost $250,000 on seven lots.All that while preparing for perhaps the biggest day of his training career to date at Flemington on Saturday when he saddles up his 3YO star The Inevitable in the $1 million Australian Guineas.
It’s the biggest opportunity for Brunton to really hit the big time on the mainland since he took charge of the 60-strong team he formerly prepared in partnership with his father David at their Seven Mile Beach stable near Hobart in 2014.Brunton, who has won the last four Tasmanian premierships to go with the five he won in partnership with his father, has won 10 races in Victoria in his own right including four G3 and Listed races including the 2015 Mornington Cup with the ill-fated Banca Mo.
He has had runners in three previous G1 races in Melbourne without a placing but none had the qualifications of The Inevitable, who has steadily gained favor for the Australian Guineas since the pint-sized 3YO won the G3 CS Hayes Stakes over 1400m at Flemington two weeks ago.
The Inevitable is unbeaten in five starts this season and will join another Tasmanian 3YO - the Adam Trinder-trained filly Mystic Journey - in the Guineas.
It will be the first time Tasmania has had two starters in a Melbourne Group One race in at least 35 years.Mystic Journey was a Group 2 winner in Melbourne last spring and has extended her record to eight wins from 11 starts with successive black type wins in Melbourne and Hobart in the lead-up to the Guineas.
She is regarded as the best filly to come out of Tasmania and Brunton admits she is a serious Guineas rival for The Inevitable, and not just because the robust filly dwarfs his three-year-old.“She a very good filly and has the rails draw so we know she is going to be hard to beat,” Brunton said.
“But my bloke has got a heart as big as himself. He was trapped wide and kept fighting to win the Hayes Stakes and we are certain he is going to run a big race.“If we don’t win I hope Adam’s filly can do it for Tasmania – it will be great for our racing.”
There’s plenty of “girl power” behind The Inevitable as his jockey Sigrid Carr and Brunton’s partner Tegan Keys have been key contributors to his success.
Keys rides The Inevitable in most of his work and Carr – a lifelong friend of Brunton - does the job on race days, having teamed with the Dundeel gelding in all his five wins.“I was riding ponies with Siggie from the time we were kids,” Brunton said. “There has never been any question about another jockey taking over on The Inevitable in Melbourne.
“I am so proud of her and my partner Tegan, who has put so much time and effort into the horse.“Tegan is as responsible as anyone for what he’s doing on the racetrack.”
