Elly Chapple has achieved something she has quietly been working towards - her first career winning drive.
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At last week's Tamworth harness meeting, Chapple piloted Right On With It to establish that first winning drive.
"I had no words to describe the feeling of winning the race after the finish - I couldn't stop shaking, it was crazy," stated the near 17-year-old who also picked up The Pub Group Drive of the Day.
Coming up through the Mini Trot ranks via the Tamworth Club, Chapple progressed on to make her debut into the senior driving ranks back in April at the Narrabri Carnival of Cups meeting.
It was only fitting that Elly should have her first winning drive in the Tamworth Regional Mini Trot Association Pace over 1609 metres last Thursday on her home track.
"It was good being in the mini trots before as it helped a lot in getting a bit more confidence," stated the vibrant young lady who had been part of the mini trot scene for many years before graduating to the registered races.
Chapple, a Year 11 student at Oxley High School, recounted her driving efforts and how she came to gain the success with Right On With It.
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"I drew the five barrier and landed up one-by-one behind Layby Lenny (Anthony Varga), which was a perfect spot," she said.
"We were aiming to go forward to lead but the one-by-one presented itself and it was perfect."
With the grey pacer Ghost Gum, piloted by Stacey Weidemann, leading the field, Chapple was playing the race out in her mind and holding back her run, before placing an impressive three-wide run around the field from the 400-metre mark.
"He felt super the whole way. I nursed him up around the bend and just waited for as long as I could and the horse couldn't have done a better job," added Chapple.
"I probably had to go a little bit earlier than what I wanted to because Leigh Sutton came around with Onahi Delight. I had to go in the back straight a bit before I had planned to. But other than that it was perfect
"I was so excited I just waited up for as long as I could and I just knew I had to go for it.
"Dad said from the start that Right On With It would be my first winner. He was my first fast-work drive."
Right On With It held on for a neck win over Onahi Delight, with Ghost Gum three metres away in third place.
For Moonbi trainer-reinsman Dean Chapple, he enjoyed sitting on the sidelines along with his wife Julie, watching as his daughter succeed.
"Elly's win was just out of this world - it was a 10 out of 10 effort," said Dean. "We have been working towards this win for a while.
"That would be up there with any of my wins. I was sitting there going not now not now. I was driving the race for her from the sidelines."
Dean, who is leading the drivers premiership at Tamworth, had success himself at the meeting - training a double with Right On With it and new stable acquisition Aucklander.
Aucklander won the opening event of the day, the TAB.Com.Au Three-Year-Old Pace, which also placed Chapple into the winner's circle with the reins.
"It was a good run by Aucklander - I got into the one-by-one and then I took off," Dean said. "He ended up getting cover for the last lap and I pulled out at the 400m and he was just too good."
Aucklander had a four-metre win over Shez Got Bling (Madi Young) with A Paradigm Shift (Peter Hedges) another two metres away in third place.
