Van Sank, a five-year-old trotter bred and originally raced in Victoria, is proving himself the preeminent trotter in Queensland.
He has now won eight of his 16 starts in Queensland, including his last three on end, and boasts a stake tally of $79,785.
Van Sank failed to reach the reserve placed on him when offered at the 2018 Australasian Premier Trotting Sale by Clarendon (near Ballarat) breeder Louise Toulmin, of Oakbank Estate. He was later sold privately to Colin Murphy, a client of Alison and Chris Alford’s Bolinda stable.
The Trixton gelding won three races for the Murphy-Alford combination before being sold to Brisbane owner-trainer Shannon Price at the end of his three-year-old campaign.
Price has had around 10 trotters pass through her hands, but Van Sank is “probably the best one".
“He’ll be set for all the trotting features at the Brisbane winter carnival and a metropolitan race at Menangle,” Price said.
“I might sell him to America later in the year if I get the right offer.”
A two-year-old half-brother to Van Sank named Suga Daddy (by Angus Hall) will likely make his debut for Alex Alchin at Menangle next Tuesday.
Van Sank was one of five graduates of the APTS sales to win this week.
The haul included a treble at the Melton midweek meeting with Kyvalley Clichy, Hotel Kyvalley and Aldebaran Lovisa. Kyvalley Clichy increased his earnings to $206,770, placing him fourth on the all-time APTS stake earner’s list.
The other APTS sale graduate winner was Locksley Lover, who made it two for two this season at Shepparton. He has won five of his 11 lifetime starts.