Anderton trained his 1500th winner when Fascinate scored on Melbourne Cup day at the trainer’s home course at Wingatui. The victory was the 889th Anderton has registered in partnership with son Shane.
"Time goes on and racing has been pretty good to me, really," Brian Anderton said.
There are a handful that Anderton regards as the best he has trained.
"I have not had a champion, but I have had a lot of good horses."
Random Chance gave the trainer his first and only group 1 success when winning the 1985 New Zealand 2000 Guineas with Shane Anderton in the saddle.
The trainer’s biggest previous victory has also come at the New Zealand Cup carnival when the then 10yr-old, Watallan, won the 1973 New Zealand Cup.
"Winning the New Zealand Cup was marvellous," Anderton said.
Anderton also recognised the 26-race winning A Gordon For Me as another of his favourites. Among his host of feature race wins, the evergreen galloper won back-to-back White Robe Lodge Handicaps in 1994 and 1994.
Eight-race winner Ticklish was the fastest horse he has trained, Anderton said.
The trainer has had a wealth of success with jumpers, but two really stood out, he said.
"You could not split Bymai and Lord Venture. They were really tough old warriors and one was 11 and the other was 12 when they had their last starts."
"One Chance was the probably the most dashing hurdler I have had."
The trainer and former jockey remembers the first of his 1504 victories fondly.Anderton rode Festival Queen to win in his own colours at Beaumont in 1967. The horse was raced by his late mother, Alice, he said.
