When Maree Blake and Paul Williams teamed up as life partners almost 28 years ago Maree was keen to get involved in harness racing despite not having even the slightest interest in the sport prior to them meeting.
She worked as tirelessly as her partner in the preparation of a team of paces at their Bagdad property and she was prepared to learn the ropes from the bottom up.
Blake became a competent trackwork driver but when Paul suffered devastating injuries as a result of a fall in Launceston about five years ago Maree was forced to make a move to secure a licence to drive in trials.
The bulk of the horse's Williams had in training at the time of his accident needed to be sent to other trainers but the ones they owned themselves remained on the property and became Blake's responsibility.
Williams suggested that she might as well try and secure a licence to drive in races, predicting it might come in handy further down the track.
She secured her driver's licence and ironically it was Ponderosa Gamble, the horse that Williams was driving the night of his horrific fall that provided Blake with a winner at her first drive in a race.
At UBET Park in Hobart last night (Sunday) Blake notched her second winner when she partnered Metro Digby to a game win in the Ian Blackburn Pace over 2090 metres.
"It has taken me a while to get my second winner but I'm happy enough to have waited this long," Blake said.
"I don't get a lot of drives but I enjoy it when I get the chance," she said.
Metro Digby had been placed at his two previous starts convincing Williams that internal problems that had hindered the horse's progress had been cured.
"The horse had a bacterial virus and ulcers but we have managed to get rid of all of his problems and hopefully he can finally get the chance to realise his full potential," Williams said.
Metro Digby has won six and been placed a dozen times from 36 starts for almost $43,000 but now that he's turned the corner Williams expects him to keep on improving on that record.
Peter Staples