TASMANIA’S premier training partnership of David and Scott Brunton has shelved an offer to set up a satellite stable in Melbourne with the powerful Aquanita Racing.
The father and son combination celebrated a brilliant 2009-10 season by winning the state premiership with a record breaking 78 winners that eclipsed the previous best of 73 set by the late Allan Stubbs in 1990-91.
David Brunton has been a dominant force in Tasmania’s training ranks for the past decade and with his son Scott forming a partnership enterprise they have built a powerful stable that boasts about 80 horses on the books at their Seven Mile Beach training complex – Whispering Sands.
Dave Brunton has been sending some of his better stable tenants to Aquanita trainer and good friend Robert Smerdon for many years so it came as little surprise when Aquanita suggested the Bruntons consider being a part of the Melbourne operation.
“It was a very enticing offer to set up at Aquanita but in the end we have decided not to proceed and instead retain the old arrangement of sending horses to Robert (Smerdon) of we think they have any long term, future racing in Victoria or beyond,” Brunton said.
“At the end of the day we can still bring a horse or two to Melbourne and get a couple of boxes with Robert any time we want for short stays.”
“They (Aquanita) had plans to build us eight walk-in-walk-out boxes and no doubt it would have been great to have out own set-up in Melbourne but there also was a great expense in setting it up.”
“To be honest I was keen to do it for Scott’s sake because he has a big future ahead of him I this game and I’m at the back end of my training career.
“But when Scott said he wasn’t all that fussed it was an easy decision to make,” he said.
Team Brunton has invested heavily in bloodstock over the years and of the 20 yearlings from this year’s Tasmanian Magic Millions Yearling Sale that made their way to Whispering Sands, the Bruntons have a share in all but one.
“All up we acquired about $250,000 worth of yearlings from this year’s sale so we do have quite an investment on young horses in our stable,” Brunton said.
Lady Lynette has been a star performer for the Brunton stable winning at Group and Listed level interstate but she will be domiciled in Victoria with Smerdon for her spring campaign.
“I’ve been training Lady Lynette at home but she’ll be back in Melbourne with Robert (Smerdon) next week to start her next campaign on Saturday week but I’m happy with that arrangement.”
“Scott and I have decided to keep building on our business at home and still be able to enjoy the lifestyle Tassie offers.”
“If Scott wants to pursue his career interstate at a later stage I will encourage it because he has a big future but in the meantime it’s back to normal,” he said.
Team Brunton will take up to 10 horses to Tattersall’s Park Elwick on Sunday with Scott taking charge of the team, as David will be at the Coleraine track in country Victoria with the stable’s talented four-year-old Obstinado.