Champion South Australian harness identity Danielle Hill celebrated her first win in the return to the training ranks when Hes All Torque scored an impressive win at Port Pirie on Saturday.
Hill, who spent a year on the sidelines following back surgery, is making a quiet return to the training and driving ranks.
Hes All Torque has been her only runner so far, returned an excellent mile rate of 1:54.4 in taking out the action-packed Big Chief Hire Pace (1609m).
The race has been billed as a match between the in-form three-year-old filly Wings On The Line ($2.25) and the exciting five-year-old mare Coco Mia which is on the comeback after injury.
However, it was Hes All Torque, masterly driven by Hill, which appeared late to score.
Wings On The Line, which had won seven races in a row, and 11 of her 12 overall, found the front from gate four after an early tussle with a 28.1 second first quarter, but then found pressure throughout and she eventually faded to finish fourth.
Coco Mia ($2 fav) had a good trailing position in the running line for driver Ryan Backhouse and looked the winner when she loomed up three wide.
However, Dani Hill had managed to extract Hes All Torque ($19 into $10) off the inside and brought him with as well-timed run to challenge the favourite and the pair had a stirring battle up the home straight.
On the line, Hes All Torque scored by a short half head from Coco Mia, with Per Ardua Ad Astra ($17) running home late to be six metres away third.
Hill won three races on Hes All Torque as a two-year-old and was happy to take over his training recently from the sidelined Ryan Hryhorec.
“I love him, but I am only babysitting,” Hill said.
“I have to admit he is high maintenance to train, I think I would prefer just driving him.”
Hill currently has seven horses in work but wants to reduce the number.
“It is very time-consuming and a lot of hard work, combined with driving as well.
“With all I have been doing, there has been a bit of an issue with my back, so I want to look after myself.
“It is a bit tricky because I felt I have not been driving all that well since coming back, so I have got to balance everything.”
Port Pirie locals Ryan and Trent Hoare continued their impressive start to their training careers with a double.
Hurrikane Dude landed some big bets firming from $3 into $1.95 favourite and leading throughout in the Mick ‘Bart’ Athanasiou Pace (1609m).
Reinsman Wayne Hill drove the five-year-old hard to keep the front from gate one, then controlled the race and dashed away to win by 12-1/2 metres.
The double came up with Lincs Poor Boy in the Somewhere Secret @ Kiaora Stud Pace (2050m).
Also well backed at $3, Lincs Poor Boy sat parked but was too tough drawing clear to win by two metres.
Bagot Well trainer Peta Brown landed her eighth winner of the season when Lord Chancellor finished best to win the Ladbroke It! Trotters Handicap (2050m).
Driven by Michael Smith, Lord Chancellor ($9) raced in second spot before coming out in the home straight and grabbing the leader Im Hector ($17) in the last stride to win by a head.
It was the winner’s second victory for the season with nine placings from 19 starts to be an excellent money-spinner for connections.
Im Hector is trained by Claire Goble from Wasleys who had a better result in the Vale Gavin ‘Bunny’ Abbott Pace (2050m).
Clarenden Sakura, which she bred and owns, sprinted strongly to claim victory.
Driven by Samantha Pascoe, Clarenden Sakura ($26) settled second behind the leader Hilltop Crusader ($2.40 fav) which attracted pressure basically from gate release.
Pascoe angled the three-year-old filly into Risdon Hotel sprint lane, and she dashed through to win by 2-1/2 metres from Hilltop Crusader with Winston Alexander ($3) a half metre away third.
Port Pirie trainer Dale Afford notched his second win in a week with the smart four-year-old Nicely Spoken.
Backed from $6 into $3.60, Nicely Spoken was hard driven by visiting reinsman Ryan Backhouse from gate four to find the lead in the Birrell Heavy Tilt Pace (1609m).
Once in front, Backhouse rated the gelding perfectly for a one metre win from Whitestarchristian ($16) with Sheza Manipulator ($3.50) three metres away third.
Nicely Spoken returned to winning form for Afford at the Port Pirie meeting on the previous Tuesday.
A massive betting plunge in the race was on Blazing Shannon which came from gate one. He firmed from $15 into $3.40 favourite.
Driver Danielle Hill had Blazing Shannon away well, but he was crossed and settled three back on the inside but never raised the hopes of backers finishing sixth beaten 14-1/2 metres.
