The young reinsman piloted Mondo Seelster to a last- stride win in the $7500 Winter Warmer Final on Sunday on a day where junior drivers excelled.

It all started early when Madelene Bond won the first race of the day with The Know It All.

That was her first winner.

The 16-year-old Maitland Year 11 student drove a patient race to pop out in the straight and flash home for a great win.

A race later and Luke Muirhead went one better than Bond.

He was having his first registered drive in a race aboard the Ken Smith junior-trained Putting For Eagle.

Smith reckoned it a “pearler” of a drive.

Then fast forward to five races later in the eight-race TAB meeting and Chapple was in the gig for trainer Michael Formosa on Mondo Seelster in the Winter Warmer Final.

Chapple  made his move a lap from home after he had been caught out in a previous heat.

The gelding was reserve for the race but Chapple wasn’t going to be left wondering this time.

“I missed the boat in the heats last time,” he said  after the race. 

“So I was after a bit of redemption.

“At the top of the straight I thought he might run a game second but then he picked the bit up and charged home.”

He rated it the highlight of his young career so far as Mondo Seelster beat Cockys Fancy by a head in a 2:02.1 mile rate.

Formosa was delighted.

“It was a tough run but in the final you’ve got to throw all your eggs in the one basket and it paid off.”

Formosa had run Mondo Seelster at Newcastle last Monday and thought the rain that had washed out Thursday’s original program had done him a great favour.

The extra three days enabled his gelding to be at his best and snare an eighth career win for Tamworth owners Wendy and Maurice Mondolo.

“It’s been good training for them,” he said of the Mondolos.

“It’s great to do nice things for great people,” he said.