Dean Chapple is the only out-of-towner in Saturday night’s TAB Hunter Region Championships Final with the James Sills owned EMM AYE DEE.
Only coming to the Chapple stable about 3 months ago, Sills has been very impressed with the mare’s journey with Chapple and always had the Million Dollar Pace on the agenda. The revised regional championships format obviously replaced the Million Dollar Pace and at Sill’s insistence EMM AYE DEE was put forward.
Being the first qualifier has given Chapple the advantage of watching on with interest as the other qualifiers came through. Chapple, as driver also, sees an advantage to having gotten to know the opposition which may not have been the case in the original format.
Chapple says the regional series “has given the battlers a sniff at a Group 1 opportunity” citing the long shot TERRYRAMA’s win at Bathurst as evidence that everyone has a chance.
It’s Chapple’s fourth shot at a Group 1 title and previously he’s never drawn well. Happy with Barrier no. 3, it gives Chapple a couple of options to put her in the race.
Other career highlights include juvenile classics, a Kay Seymour Final, and two Breeders Challenges Finals.