Top South Australian harness racing reinswoman Danielle Hill achieved a career-best five wins at a meeting at Globe Derby Park on Monday, June 6.
Hill was successful on Presidentmach ($1.10 fav), Outback Madge ($1.60 fav), Cromac Jamie ($2.50 fav), The Stork ($1.10 fav) and Amightyfinehorse ($2.60).
“I had driven four winners about 13 or 14 times so to get to five was quite a thrill,” Hill said.
“Going into the meeting I thought I could have a good day but never start thinking about actual numbers because the unexpected can always happen. No matter the price, the horse has to perform and everything needs to go right.
“Actually I need to thank the owners and trainers for putting me on such nice horses. If I wasn’t driving winners I would be letting them down.”
Hill is having a career-best season with 160 winners so far in South Australia for the 2015-2016 season and the prospects of 200 winners is realistic with her current strike rate. Her previous best was 135 wins last season.
The season ends on August 30 so there is still two months and three weeks left for a total of 36 meetings.
Hill continues to rewrite the record books and her efforts are a tribute to her ability and courage.
In 2009, she landed the Australasian Young Drivers Championship during the Inter Dominion at the Gold Coast but her whole world changed on a Monday afternoon, May 17 in 2010 at Globe Derby Park when Puaxtacy crashed to the track which resulted in the loss of her right eye plus facial fractures to her cheek, jaw and nose. She also suffered bleeding to the brain.
Her injuries eventually healed but despite a lot of hard work, surgeons couldn’t repair the break of the optic nerve to the brain.
Despite losing the sight of an eye, Hill, 31, made a comeback to driving and has continually bettered her own records.
In November last year, Hill was recognised with the Tanya Denver Award for courage and sportsmanship at the Sports SA awards at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Wednesday night.
Her brother Wayne is also having his most successful season and took his South Australian tally to 91 wins on Monday with a victory on Daddy Long Legs ($1.50 fav).
He also has had four winners in Victoria for a tally of 95 as he closes in on 100 wins.
At Victor Harbor on December 28 last year Hill equalled the Australian best of six winners at a meeting.
The brother and sister having a friendly rivalry and Dani Hill said Wayne had congratulated her on Monday but was aware he still had that six in a day to have the best.
Graham Fischer