Les Chapman remembered as the heart and soul of Maryborough

There was far more to the Les Chapman story in harness racing than his two decades at the helm of one of Victoria’s most successful clubs.

The Maryborough Harness Racing Club, and indeed the wider Victorian harness racing community, is mourning the loss of Chapman, who passed away suddenly on Friday morning.

A horseman, trainer, mentor, administrator and lifelong devotee of the standardbred, Chapman’s passion for the sport began as a boy, when he cut his teeth helping out at the legendary Jack Moore stable, home to champions such as Richmond Lass, Dale’s Gift and Tony Bear.

By the age of 11 he was already handling standardbreds, and just five years later he was driving winners.

He combined hobby training with a banking career and later business ownership before taking the plunge into full-time training and breaking in 1986.

Chapman prepared a number of handy horses, but none greater than La Coocaracha, the champion square-gaiter who he trained to seven wins in her first 15 starts before her transfer to the powerhouse Andy Gath stable.

In 2000, Chapman’s career shifted into administration when he succeeded Merv Gray as secretary of the Maryborough Harness Racing Club.

It was the start of a 22-year tenure that would reshape the club’s destiny.

The Redwood renaissance

Chapman’s proudest legacy was his club’s transformation of the Redwood Trotting Carnival into one of Victoria’s premier racing events and the recognised showpiece of square-gaiting in Australia.

His vision and promotional flair placed Maryborough firmly on the map as the “spiritual home” of trotting.

Behind the scenes he was tireless, attending to the unglamorous detail that keeps clubs afloat, but equally acting as a one-man public relations machine – always approachable, always positive, and ready with a smile and friendly welcome for all who came through the gate at Maryborough.

Chapman’s contributions were recognised with the Gordon Rothacker Medal in 2009, Victorian harness racing’s highest individual honour.

At that point Chapman was already celebrating 50 years in the game – and he continued to add another 16 years of service until his passing on Friday morning.

A lasting legacy

In recent times, he scaled back his formal duties but remained central as trial coordinator, relishing his Sunday mornings at the track.

Friends recall that he was “in his happy place” whenever he was with the horses and horsepeople he loved.

The Maryborough Harness Racing Club’s social media post described him as “the face of harness racing at Maryborough” and thanked a “selfless man who all too often put the club, the sport and others before himself.”

Les leaves behind his partner Fran, family, countless friends, and an industry immeasurably richer for his contribution.

Rest in peace, Les.

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink