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Devonport Cup Day is always circled on the calendar of training trio Leon, Dean & Trent Wells.
Devonport Cup Day is always circled on the calendar of training trio Leon and Dean and Trent Wells .
On Wednesday, their main target will be the second running of the $109,000 Ladbrokes Carpet Charge, where they will saddle up Rebel Factor and Tony Nicconi.
Rated a $7.50 chance by bookmakers, Rebel Factor is the pick of the Wells pair according to the market but enters the Carpet Charge off disappointing performances in both the Newmarket (1200m) and Winzenberg (1100m) handicaps.
A return to Devonport could improve Rebel Factor, who is unbeaten from three runs on the track and will have blinkers applied for the first time.
"He's had his share of issues over time, but (blinkers) is sort of the last throw at the stumps to try and get him going because you can't fault his track work, but he hasn't been the same horse on race day in Launceston and Hobart," said co-trainer Trent Wells.
The 6YO gelding has won seven of his 14 career starts, with his highlight being the $75,000 WFA Ladbrokes Stakes in January last year.
"We're just hoping that this will sharpen him up a bit with the blinkers on and being his home track; if he takes in his track work, he will be incredibly hard to beat."
8YO gelding Tony Nicconi is the second of Wells' runners, and despite running a time that would've comfortably won the Carpet Charge last year when victorious over 1009m on 22 December, he's rated as an outsider at $21.
"We will just try and rinse and repeat what he did last time when they ran good time.
"No doubt there will be a hot tempo, but he showed how fast he is when he won the other day."
The Ladbrokes Carpet Charge has proven to be a great addition to Devonport Cup Day, and Trent Wells says he can already sense how the race has progressed in just its second year.
"I think it's been a brilliant idea, especially with the sporting clubs being involved (Ladbrokes Community Sports Series).
"Last year was a bit of an unknown, but there's a lot of hype this year, and it should be a great race."
While Trent Wells hopes to secure the major prize in the Ladbrokes Carpet Charge, he says the team has their best chance of a winner on the day when Bold Instinct steps out in the 0-62 (1009m).
"He looks a class above them, but he has his barrier issues, so we'll hold our breath for the first few strides, but he'll be incredibly hard to beat if he jumps with them."
