MOONBI horseman Dean Chapple had a day to remember at Armidale on Sunday, training the first winner of the comeback program and driving a winning treble.
The veteran trainer/driver saluted in stylish fashion aboard Pocket The Shilling in the Top Pub Uralla Pace (1980m), hammering his rivals by some 24 metres in a mile rate of 2:00.9.
The odds-on favourite was sent around the field early from a difficult draw and once Chapple found the lead, the opposition was left floundering.
Chapple was full of praise for the Armidale surface.
“I don’t think this mare would be able to run that time at Tamworth, so it is a credit to the club to have the track in such great condition,” he said.
The reinsman made it a double aboard Merry Jasper in the third heat of the St Kilda Hotel Armidale Carnival of Cups (1609m), winning in a slick mile rate of 2:00.8 to give Quirindi trainer Ronald Neal a chance of taking out this Sunday’s $10,000 final.
Chapple’s third winning drive came in the Golden Horse Shoe Prelude, where he saluted aboard Kemira Cause.
Queensland trainer driver Dayl March took out the final two races on the TAB program, with $2.20 favourite Nod Dor winning the Lullaby Lodge/Armidale Independent Pace (1980m) and $4.60 shot In Default scoring in the Pepper Tree Farms Pace (1980m).
