Christmas presents don’t come much better than the one former Foxton trainer Anna Scott received.

The 36-year-old sister of Matamata trainer Andrew Scott now plies her trade in Malaysia where her stable veteran Iluminado took out the Penang Gold Cup on Christmas Day. A Malaysia Group One race, the event is recognised globally as a Listed event.

Iluminado, a nine-year-old Argentinian-bred gelding, provided Scott with her first trophy race two years earlier when scoring in the Penang TC William Inglis & Son Trophy.

The Christmas day win though was all the sweeter given Iluminado was destined for retirement earlier this year.

“Back in April we were looking for a good home for him as there is only one race a month for stayers and he really needs racing to keep his fitness,” Scott said.

After delays locating the perfect forever home, Scott decided to persevere with the horse, leading to a rather unorthodox preparation for the 2000m event.

“He had three 1000m trials, one race over 1700m where he finished ninth, then another two 1000m trials,” she said.

Scott ended 2016 with 35 wins and the leading strike rate and is already looking forward to 2017 and an influx of 12 new horses.

However, if Scott’s early career plans had panned out the former Foxton farm girl wouldn’t even be involved in racing.

“I always wanted to be a policewoman, but I couldn’t pass School C English,” she said. “I’m dyslexic and if I hadn’t been so stubborn and used a reader/writer in the exam then I would’ve passed.”

From age 11, when her father Jack decided to take out a trainer’s licence, Scott had ridden work. That background meant she had a ready-made back-up career option when it was determined the force wasn’t going to be for her.

However, her father was adamant she needed to extend herself and look further afield than New Zealand.

At 17, she found herself working for trainer Randwick trainer Bill Mitchell and from there it was off to have a look around Malaysia and stints with Steven Burridge and then John Sargent.

Scott returned home when pregnant with her son Adam and, with encouragement from her father, leased a son of His Royal Highness. Named Palace Gates he became the first horse - and winner - she trained.

Her days were a mix of riding work for other trainers, riding her own horses and working her pre-trainers, and looking after Adam. Oh, and throw into that a stint riding over fences.

“I thought I knew everything but then I rode over fences and I learned so much more,” she said.

Scott’s last ride was a winning one when she partnered Spirit of Alaton to an eight and a half length win at his first race over fences.

Two years ago she found her way back to Malaysia and, after a somewhat stuttering start with just two horses and a raft of new, often confusing rules, Scott has managed to build her profile.

Social media even had its part to play as she has established her career as one of three female trainers among the 42 licenced in Malaysia.

“A couple of owners messaged me through Facebook and it has slowly built up from there,” she said.

“It has been hard financially and it is completely different in Malaysia. Most of my wins came from second hand horses, but next year I will have 12 new horses and we should have a better year.”

Scott’s partner Rio Burnett, is a crucial part of the team. After taking time away from his riding career when he and Anna became parents to twins a year ago, Burnett will be back in the saddle in the New Year adding another dimension to the stable.

While her immediate focus is to improve upon her 2016 figures, Scott said her longer-term goal is to at some stage apply for a trainer’s license in Singapore.

“Anything is possible. You just have to keep aiming high and dreaming big.”