Moonbi trainer-driver Dean Chapple picked up a winning double at the Tamworth Harness Racing Club Old Boys night on Friday.
Three Memorial races were conducted as part of the meeting with Chapple kicking his winning streak off in the Sam Ison Memorial with an all the way win behind the Graham-Moon trained Gotta Go Rockin.
“I thought I was in for a long night at the start of the meeting but it turned out good.”
Chapple said Moon was confident when the draw came out with Gotta Go Rockin drawing the two barrier.
“The horse races better in the front,” Chapple said.
“I knew he (Gotta Go Rockin) wouldn’t lay down – I have always liked the horse – he is just a plugger speed wise.”
Gotta Go Rockin dictated the terms out in the lead before coming away for a 5.2m win over Olympic Wonder (Anthony Varga) with Saint Stormy (Brad Elder) a head away third.
“It was good to win the Sam Ison Memorial – I only ever had one drive for old Sam and that turned out to be a winner at 60/1 – the horse was Thoraz,” Chapple added.
The following event – the Stockman’s Supplies Pace then saw Chapple guide Stonebridge Royal to a win for his own stables.
“He has had his foot on the till for a while now,” Chapple said of Stoneridge Royal who was racing three back in the outside running line before making a three-wide run around the final turn.
“He has been a real good charge to our stables – we brought him as a claimer and he has won two races for us now. He is a lovely old horse.”
Stonebridge Royal had a 3.1m win over Sir Pickles Yumyum (Sam Ison) with Our Bushwacker (Jake Hughes) a head away third.
Narrabri pacer Limousine Livia then made it back to back wins in taking out the Mervyn Johnson Memorial after a win at Maitland the start prior.
“I have driven her a few times before and she goes pretty good,” reinsman Brad Elder said.
“She has got a fair bit of ability but she kept doing things wrong early on in her career but she has sorted herself out now and Jarred has done a pretty good job to persevere with her.”
Racing three wide for over a lap Limousine Livia went on for a 9.8m win over Captain Chargeover (Stacey Weidemann). Arctic (Darren Elder) was another 7.3m away third.
“I pulled out up the back straight with a lap to go and tried to get forward but she was three wide from the 1,100,” Elder said.
“She goes pretty good.”
The Puritan, who was having his second run for the Richard Williams stables, then outsprinted his opposition in the Perc Verning Memorial.
“I expected him to go well after his first run for the stables,” Williams said.
“I expected the speed would have been on from the start but I was confident.”
“He accelerated well – he gave me a good feeling when we raced three wide with a trail at the bell.”
The Puritan came away from the field for a 7m win over Jackeroo Shannon (Sarah Rushbrook) with Dark Side (Maddison Simon) another 2.2m back in third.
Julie Maughan