Tasracing

This season’s trainer’s Premiership looks to be a race in two between multiple winner Scott Brunton and the trio of Leon, Dean & Trent Wells.

Brunton’s tally of 40 for the season is six clear of Team Wells who haven’t given up hope of claiming this year’s title and hope to bridge the gap starting this Sunday in Launceston.

Trent Wells manages the team’s Spreyton base alongside his brother Dean, with father Leon in the south of the state at Brighton. Trent says the Premiership is something the team is striving for but one they are realistic about achieving.

“It’s something (the Premiership) we always have in the back of our mind,” said Trent Wells.

“We’ve had the best season we’ve had so far; our horses are trying hard and doing their best,” added Wells.

At their Spreyton base Trent and Dean Wells have around 25 horses in work and the team enjoyed a great start to the season with the majority of early racing in Devonport.

“All the racing at Devonport at the start of the year kicked us along a lot,” Trent said.

The dual training bases provide the team with flexibility given the different surfaces of the three main tracks in Tasmania and they look a good chance of resuming racing with a winner on what is likely to be a rain affected track in Launceston on Sunday.

“GeeGees Rock Opera trialled up really well and she will enjoy the sting out of the ground,” said Wells giving a lead to punters about the four-year-old mare who has limited form on soft or heavy going.

“Gee Gees Bulldog later in the day as well (race 10) that will suit him with a bit of cut out of the ground.

Gee Gees Bulldog (Daniel Ganderton) winning a 1400m maiden in Launceston.

“Him and Gee Gees Pengala (race 6) they don’t need much work to get them to the mark, so even though we’ve been a bit soft on them I don’t think it will affect them too much.”

With 190 nominations for Sunday’s program there was always going to be horses unlucky not to gain a start and that was the case for the Wells’ who had seven horses either balloted out or listed as emergencies.

“I don’t think anyone will be in a hurry to scratch at the first meeting back so they might struggle to get a run,” laughed Trent understanding the predicament many other trainers are in.

Sunday’s meeting will be the first to receive the Ladbrokes prizemoney boosts where trainers will receive $300 per runner, and each winner will receive an additional $2,500.

The generosity of Ladbrokes hasn’t been lost on Trent Wells who knows it will add extra incentive to Sunday’s races.

“It shows people that they care about the industry and the struggles that people have gone through.

“It’s great to see a big sponsor like Ladbrokes do something like that, which they didn’t have to do.”

Watch the recent trial of GeeGees Rock Opera in Hobart below.