Guy Chapple and More Milk Mike earn some holiday spending money for trainer Dean Chapple by winning Wednesday night’s first race at Tamworth Paceway. Photo: Robert Chappel 060213RCF02
MORE Milk Mike hung the perfect “for sale” sign when he led all the way to win Wednesday night’s Northern Inland Credit Union Pace (1980m) at Tamworth Paceway.
The eight-year-old gelding led all the way to post a comfortable 5.25m win from Sticky Fingers (Danny Mackney), with Doranelly (Sarah Rushbrook) another 13.5m away third.
It was More Milk Mike’s 12th career win and maybe his last for suspended driver/trainer Dean Chapple.
Chapple’s brother, Guy, took the reins and was untroubled to lead and win.
“He’s been knocking on the door for a while,” Dean Chapple said after the win.
“He was down in grade tonight too.
“He’s won nine races now for us.
“We’ve been trying to sell him as well, reducing the price.”
While he and his brother indulged in some usual good- natured banter about Guy’s ability to drive winners for his Moonbi-based brother, it was also a good start to a night and a cruising farewell.
“Yeah, I’m going on a four- day cruise,” Dean Chapple said. “That paid for it.”
He’s nervously hoping there are no cyclones or tropical storms funnelling into “the islands” while his cruise takes place.
Meanwhile, Len Clement might have found a little secret to bonny little mare Lifeslittlesecret.
The pocket-sized pony left her opposition for dead when she sprinted clear down the back straight at Tamworth Paceway on Wednesday night to win the Wayne Smith Water Carrier Pace (1980m) by 11.25m.
It was the five-year-old daughter of Life Sign’s fourth career win and her first for Clement since buying her from Uralla’s Paul Hine.
“She was going well for Paul but then went off and they sent her down south,” Clement said.
“She won a race for them and then he sent her to me.
“I bought her off him and have had her for three starts.
“She’d drawn well but never been able to take advantage of those good draws.”
Clement decided to jump into the spider Wednesday night and was blessed when “they ran along a bit”.
“That’s how she runs best – she’s a sit and sprint horse.”
She shot past leader Texas Rustler down the back and cruised home for racecaller Bob Poetschka to marvel.
“Len Clement has blown them away at big odds,” the veteran racecaller reckoned.
“At the big odds of $65.”
It was a welcome return to winning form for Len Clement.
