The Cranbourne-based Wells Family Group is finding the Australasian Premier Trotting Sale a reliable source for winners.
The group’s first foray into the yearling sale market was Theyallendiny, a $20,000 buy at the 2017 sale and now the winner of $20,170.
The following year they outlaid $20,500 for Theyallendiny’s half-brother, the very smart square-gaiter Is That A Bid, who is proving one of the flagbearers for the APTS sales concept.
The gelding has won six races to date including the Vicbred Super Series 3YO final and Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic for two-year-olds, amassing $166,980 in stakes.
In 2020 Malcolm Wells and his group shelled out $18,000 for two yearlings, one an Aldedaran Eagle filly named Aldebaran Demi and the other a Used To Me filly now racing as Used To Be A Maid.
While Aldebaran Demi has been only lighted raced, Used To Be A Maid has registered a Yarra Valley win, a second, a third and a fourth from four appearances as a three-year-old this season.
“She took a while to get going and she’s still got a lot to learn,” Garfield trainer Michael Hughes said. “But she’s come a long way considering what she was doing 12 months ago.”
Bred by Pat Driscoll’s Yabby Dam Farms, Used To Be A Maid is out of the 2011 Redwood winner Maidstone Miss, a Sundon mare who produced earlier winners in Mascott (Hobart Trotting Cup) and Thebestbourbon (1:58.3).
The Wells Family have since invested in a lovely Southwind Frank filly from the Dream Vacation mare Aldebaran Crumpet for which they outlaid $12,000 at last year’s APTS.
Elsewhere, two graduates of the 2019 APTS in Banglez and Aldebaran Dino were very impressive winners at Melton and Bendigo respectively, while Hammers Law (2015) chalked up his 12th success at Globe Derby Park.