A third-generation trainer, Ganderton’s grandfather Claude Best is a Tasmanian Racing Hall of Fame inductee whose feats include preparing 1984 Group 2 J J Liston Stakes winner Bow Mistress, who has a mares’ stakes race named in her honour.

His father Kelvin was also a jockey and trainer, so there was little doubt Mark was destined to also take out his license which he did aged 21, making him one of the youngest in the state to be granted the right to train in 1997. He trained his first winner in December of that year when Venetian King won at Devonport.

In the ensuing two-and-a-half decades, Ganderton has trained more than 160 winners including many of the state’s most sought after races including a Tasmanian Oaks with Petite Oiseau in 2004, a Longford Cup, the St Leger, the Deloraine Cup, an Alpha Bowl, and a Sheffield Cup, just to name a few. Scottattitude was also a smart two-year-old for Ganderton who was able to win three races during her juvenile season.

Ganderton has also trained winners on the mainland and he is not afraid to travel interstate when he has the right horse. Ganderton has maintained a boutique stable at Spreyton and is situated five minutes from the racecourse, having 12 horses in work where he employs a hands-on approach to the training of his horses.

On his 11 acre property, Braeside Park has 14 day yards with shelters, lush day paddocks, 14 boxes and a 10 horse walker.

Ganderton mixes trackwork at Spreyton with the use of the beach to help keep horses mentally fresh and physically in good order. He also has access to horse walkers, treadmill and day yards.