Chapple, in his first drive for eight months, took Roclea Image ($6.50) to the lead shortly after the start in race three. They then took off before the home turn, pinching a break on odds-on favourite Our Ultimate Lizzy, which cruised up three wide to challenge.

Our Ultimate Lizzy made up ground late but Roclea Image held on for a 1.6-metre win in an impressive mile rate of 1:54:3. It was just outside the track record of 1:54:1 for 2YO colts and geldings set by Lets Get Rockin.

The result came as no surprise to Chapple, whose son, Mitch, trains the pacer. Roclea Image had only one previous win, running 1:58:1, in nine starts and he was third and fourth in recent Breeders Challenge heats, but Chapple said he'd been unlucky.

"He didn't shock me," he said. "His sectionals have been better than any of Clayton Harmey's two-year-olds which have made the [Breeders Challenge] final.

"We should have beaten Saint Crusader two weeks ago here. He ran a whole second faster half than it but just had no luck. Even at Tamworth, he should have beaten Skyfall Benchmark. He gave him four lengths start and got beat a neck. But the horse has been flying and we thought he would win today."

The Chapples will now target the $50,000 Breeders Challenge Blue race with Roclea Image and Chappy Streetnorth.

Guy was back driving after successful bowel cancer treatment, which included an operation, radiation and chemotherapy.