Tasmanian harness racing trainer Paul Hill celebrated his greatest night in racing when his two star juveniles Chica Bella and Hillview Jake won their respective sires stakes finals at UBET Park Hobart on Sunday night.
Chica Bella showed her class by crossing from near the outside of the front line and reeled off a slick first quarter while After Lunch faced the breeze in the Evicus Stakes final for fillies over 1609 metres.
The pair matched motors to the home turn but that's when driver Ricky Duggan called on Chica Bella for the supreme effort and she responded magnificently.
Chica Bella (Cardmaster Hanover-Time Moves On) forged clear and had plenty in hand to defeat outsider Tambros Milly ($101) with After Lunch fading to finish third just ahead of Itz Gemmas delight.
She was heavily backed to start the $1.80 favourite ahead of After Lunch that drifted from odds-on to start the second elect at $2.20.
The winner clocked a mile rate of 1.58.7 with her first half (800m) run in 58.67.
Duggan described the filly as a "dream to drive".
"Paul has done a magnificent job with this filly and she has improved just about every time she's been to the races," Duggan said.
"She can be a little but cantankerous and try and kick me out of the cart in the score-up but once she's mobile she is a dream to drive."
"She's got speed and stamina so if she can improve further next season they are going to have plenty of fun with this filly as a three-year-old," he said.
For Hill it was sheer delight and declared it mission accomplished for the well-bred filly that is owned by his wife Julie, his brother Robert and his son Scott who travelled from Western Australia to watch the race.
"This filly is tough and while she has a bit of an attitude she is all class and I can hardly wait to see what she does next season as a three-year-old," Hill said.
Hillview Jake led throughout from the pole position to win the Dandy Patch final with ace Victorian reinsman Gavin Lang aboard.
Hillview Jake went into the final on the back of a second to Origin Cronk in the Dandy Patch Prelude 13 days earlier but the final was another story.
Lang had Hillview Jake travelling in his comfort zone and when he let him rip turning for home he sped clear and had plenty in reserve on the line and well clear of Origin Cronk and Riley Major.
Hillview Jake clocked a mile rate of two minutes but ran home his last half (800m) in a slick 56.9 seconds.
Peter Staples