"If she got into the race, I thought she was a chance".
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That was how Moonbi reinswoman Elly Chapple summed up Blissfull Donna's win in the Golden Guitar Paceway-Tamworth Pace.at the Tamworth harness meeting on Thursday afternoon.
"We had two in the race and Dad (Dean) took the drive behind King Kulafu and I scored the drive behind Blissfull Donna," Chapple said.
"The barrier draw was not the best for us but everything went our way in the race."
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Blissfull Donna, after commencing from the six-barrier raced three back in the outside running line with Western Ricki (Courtney Sutherland) leading the field.
"King Kulafu was three wide and when he dropped off at the 600 mark I got out and got the sling shot on Well That's Alright (Jemma Coney)," Chapple said.
Blissfull Donna and Well That's Alright then made it a two horse battle out in the lead.
"My horse (Blissfull Donna) felt enormous in the race. That is the first win for the owners and the first win for our stable with Blissfull Donna," added Chapple.
With 47 race starts under her belt Blissfull Donna has only had six race starts for the Dean Chapple stables.
The Blissfull Hall-Madusa Cam mare's fifth career win was also her first for the Bellamy family - Rob, Michelle, Bailey and Georgia, having previously raced in Victoria.
"The family have been so amazing," [Elly] Chapple said.
"They strap horses for us at the trials, they take the horses to the race. They help us out enormously so it was nice to drive a winner for them"
"It is just great to have the family around the stables"
With the Tamworth Harness Racing Club set to head into their January racing Carnival next Tuesday with the running of the Pub Group Gold Nugget race, Chapple was unsure of where Blissfull Donna would have her next run.
"It would be good to contest the carnival on her win on Thursday but we will have to wait and see," she said.
Blissfull Donna had a 2.1 metre win over Well That's Alright with $1.95 race favourite Sheza Rockstar (Tom Ison) six metres away third, and paid $34.
The father and son duo of Andy and Tom Ison also saw the 2022 racing season in with a training and driving double after taking out a couple of premierships for the 2021 racing season.
Andy Ison won the Sauers Glass Owners Premiership on 56 points, just one point ahead of Jemma Coney while Tom Ison won the Multiquip Drivers Premiership on 43 points with his nearest rival being Coney.
Christian Shannon won the Lounges Plus Epic After Christmas Sale Pace in a mile rate of 1.57.8 for 1609 metres and Faiselle won the Pub Group Gold Nugget Tuesday 11 Jan Pace.
Coney also presented to the winner's circle with Roger That an impressive 30-metre winner in the Multiquip Transport Pace (1609m) at $2.15 favourite and with a mile rate of 1.56.2.
