Champion Adelaide harness racing horsewoman Danielle Hill has wasted no time in getting back to business.
Hill, who this week returned to race driving after suffering horrific injuries in a race fall at Globe Derby Park five months ago, has driven at three meetings and has been successful at each one of them.
"I guess I have to thank my partner David Harding as he really pushed the envelope when I told him I'd been given the clearance to go back driving," Hill said.
"David didn't beat around the bush. He virtually just said that's fantastic – you're back, so you're on and get out there," she said.
"He did let me do some fastwork on Thisexcusebetterbeit at Globe Derby earlier in the week and we went pretty quick, quicker than I work at home, because that's what we were wondering about…how I'd feel going fast. But the horse just felt sensational and from that point on I was good to go."
Hill said leading up to her return at Globe Derby last Saturday night, she had "a few butterflies" beforehand.
"But once I got to the track, I felt eerily calm. That probably sounds a bit funny. But it's the only way I can describe it."
Hill was sent out a $2 favorite on Saab Magic in the Claiming Pace at her first appearance. After working forward early, the pacer finished second to Futurist (Darren Billinger). At her next drive, Hill was again runner up, this time aboard Indiana Dreaming. The victor was Don't Tell William (Lisa Ryan).
The winning breakthrough for the returning champ came in the $17,000 TAB Graduation Championship Final when Hill came with a late run to score with Thisexcusebetterbeit (Bettors Delight-What's Your Excuse) trained by her partner David Harding.
To watch the video replay click on this link.
"It was a great feeling to get a winner. Yes, I can feel the injury to the leg and the knee, but I think that'll always be there. Yes, I was a bit nervous but at some point, the adrenaline kicked in, and that's what you feed off in race driving. At some stage through the night, I realised I was back out on the track, I was feeling that adrenaline rush – and it felt good!".
Two days later Hill was back at South Australia's headquarters and landed a double, being successful for Luke O'Neill with Truscott Hall (Angus Hall-Truscott Photo (SJ's Photo) in the Trotters Handicap and later with the Shane Loone-trained Millwood Chloe (Ohoka Arizona-Chloe Hanover (Holmes Hanover) in the Motor Group Pace.
A four-hour trip over the border to Mildura on Wednesday night was rewarded with a win at the 805-metre track on Arakbell (Betterthancheddar-Atlarak (Tinted Cloud) for Ryan Hryhorec.
"I do love competing at the Mildura track and if I keep getting drives over there, I'll turn up. The way they've banked the corners, the horses get around it well and the racing's good," Hill said.
And there's a fair bet that Dani will be hitching a ride over with brother Wayne, who is a regular – and most successful – driver at the far north-west Victorian fixtures.
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura