Mitch Chapple's win at Tamworth 10th December 2015 - compiled by Julie Maughan

MITCH CHAPPLE WIN AT TAMWORTH AFTER TURNING 18 COMPILED BY JULIE MAUGHAN

Maitland’s Mitch Chapple may have heard "Happy Birthday" at his recent 18th birthday celebrations but it was most certainly "hip hip hooray" after he drove a winner at last Thursday’s Tamworth harness meeting.

"It was good to get a win" said Chapple.

Chapple accepted a drive behind Little Gozzo with the 9 year old Chill Factor-Armerina mare trained by Col Hobday at Inverell.

"She went really good" said Chapple "but she was quantity unknown to me"

Little Gozzo was following on her form from back in January when she won at Inverell and followed that up with a win at Tamworth the next start – well guess what she "did it again"

Little Gozzo came into the TAB Rewards Ladyship Pace after a last start win at Inverell with Tom Ison in the spider which saw an all the way win.

The win at Tamworth showed more depth with Little Gozzo placed four back on the pegs while Mac Sweet (Lola Weidemann) and Pirates Pearl (Sam Ison) carved it out in the lead setting a slick race tempo.

"My driving instructions were to wait for as long as I could but I had to go when I went" said Chapple who was having his first drive behind Little Gozzo.

"I knew nothing of the mare but she impressed me with the win"

"I made my run about the 600 metre mark"

Chapple sent the mare three wide and joined Mac Sweet and Pirates Pearl as they turned into the home straight.

"She (Little Gozzo) felt good and I wasn’t sure how she was going to get home as they were running so fast early but she managed to hold on"

Little Gozzo had a 4 metre win over Pirates Pearl and Taylor Shannon (Josh Osborn) another 4.5 metres away third.

Mitch Chapple received The Pub sponsored Drive of the Day for his perfect drive on Little Gozzo of which he hopes was a little bit of a spirit lifter for his father Guy Chapple who has been on the injured list of late.

"Hope Dad saw that win and it makes him feel a bit better. He had a track work accident last Wednesday"