DEAN Chapple reckons Artsu might just be his next big thing.
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His son, Jack, thinks that too of a four-year-old mare having her first Australian start at Tamworth Paceway on Thursday.
The daughter of Elsu, who had won one of her 13 starts, before heading across the Tasman, won Thursday’s TAB App Ladyship Pace (1980m) by 21m from Onethingforcertain in a 2:01 mile rate.
Onethingforcertain came from a mile back to snare an eye-catching second but Dean Chapple wouldn’t swap his newest pacer.
She is the sixth Kiwi pacer the Moonbi trainer-driver has brought across.
“She’s the first one to win first-up for me,” he said.
“All the others have galloped or had other dramas.
“She might be a great replacement for Final Count. He’s gone amiss.”
They are “big shoes to fill” though.
“He (Final Count) won nine of his 20 starts for me,” he recalled.
“He only missed a couple of cheques.
“He won about $30,000 I reckon. He won that Menangle Country Series Final for me.”
“I’ll look at that Country Series again with her too.”
Chapple also won aboard the Ernie Mabbott-trained Gena’s Delight, a little filly who could head to Newcastle next start before going for a spell.
She was also part of a winning double for Tamworth-based Mabbott, who also won with Big Tom Lombo later in the day.
Anthony Varga, who drove Wranglers Rockstar to victory earlier in the day, drove Big Tom Lombo and will be aboard Den Helder when the gelding runs in tomorrow’s $10,000 Golden Gig Final at Dubbo paceway.
“He’s in great form,” Mabbott said of Varga’s driving.
Mabbott likes Den Helder’s chances at Dubbo after the gelding drew eight.
“I think he’s a good chance. He’s working well.
“It’s a good draw for him,” he said.
“Anthony can decide whether to go forward or back.
“He hasn’t got great gate speed but we’ll see what happens,” he said.
Mabbott also said Gena’s Delight was to have spelled but he might give her one more run after she won Thursday’s $900 Jackpot Pacing Pick Pace (1609m) at Tamworth Paceway.
“I was going to take her to Dubbo but didn’t know if the 2YO would stand up,” he said.
“We were better off racing here.
“She goes good, this little filly.
“She’s just so small.
“Her mother won about 15 races at Harold Park though.
“I might give her another run at Newcastle before she goes for a spell.”