Jack to test himself against Queensland's best

By Jordan Gerrans

Teenage reinsman Jack Chapple has been a revelation in the Queensland driving ranks since shifting north and the emerging youngster will get his chance to test himself against his own age bracket this week.

The annual Queensland Young Drivers Championship commences on Wednesday around Redcliffe’s Triangle track with two heats before two more at Albion Park on Friday.

The popular series comes to a close at Marburg on Sunday with the two final heats.

A total of six heats are set to be contested with points awarded in every race. 

Local product Angus Garrard has dominated the concession driving ranks in the Sunshine State in recent campaigns but Chapple is giving him a run for his money in the early stages of the 2025 season.

Garrard has 34 winners to his name so far this term with the 18-year-old Chapple trailing by just eight victories.

Chapple – who works for champion horseman Grant Dixon – is in the top five reinsmen in the state-wide premiership through the first three months of the year.

When the NSW native moved to Queensland in the middle of June last year, he did not think he would be keeping pace with Garrard to be the leading concession driver in the state.

“I wasn’t really expecting that, I was just wanted to keep my head down and work hard and try and drive as many winners as possible,” Chapple said.

“I do not look at the stats or things like that too much.

“But, it is great to even be running second to a driver like Angus as he has been the best concession driver up here for a number of years now.

“To be not far behind him, that is a great achievement.”

The QYDC will be contested by Garrard, Chapple, Layne Dwyer, Chloe Butler, Nathan Rothwell, Jordan Topping, Paige Bevan, Amanda Payne and Will Rothwell while Taleah McMullen is a standby driver.

“It is a great initiative to give young drivers more experience,” Chapple said.

“We get a bit competitive amongst ourselves.

“It will be great to go well in the series and even better to take it out.”

Chapple has spent time living and working at Tamworth and at Bathurst with Bernie Hewitt earlier in his career and hails from a harness racing family.

He is enjoying life under the guidance of Grant and Trista Dixon at Tamborine as he gets to work some of the stable’s abundance of stars on a regular basis.

The youngster collected a metro victory on Saturday evening behind Bev The Goat.

Chapple is actually ahead of the 21-year-old Garrard when it comes to the city driving title in 2025, as he is placed fourth overall with six triumphs to his name so far.

Fellow teenager Dwyer also has six city winners to his name this season, 

“I have been really pleased with how it has gone since I moved up,” Chapple said.

“I have had a lot of support from a lot of a great trainers and drivers along the way, helping me out. I have been really pleased with the amount of winners I have been able to tick off since I have been up.

“I have been given some great opportunities of late to drive some nice horses, it has been really good.

“Getting to work alongside Grant every day, it is a great opportunity to learn more, on the training side, as well as the driving side of it all.

“I definitely feel since I have moved here I have gained a lot more knowledge and experience – it is really helping me out, I reckon.”

In the opening two heats of the QYDC, Chapple will partner with Misstrepo – who has won at her last two starts - from the Graham Dwyer barn while he also has Highly Respected who is prepared by Lachie Hart. 

The talented driver thinks he is a chance to pick up some crucial points early in the series.

“I have got some tricky barriers but they both have been racing well,” he said.

“Hopefully with a bit of lucky we can be in the money. Graham’s horse won the Team Teal race last week so hopefully we can go back-to-back.

“The other one has been in great form and hopefully I can get him into a nice spot and not be too far away from them.”