Otago horsewoman Amber Hoffman describes her move to Waikouaiti as her chance for "one last crack'' in the horse training industry.
Hoffman (34) will be based at the racecourse at Waikouaiti from June 1. She is set to sign a six-month contract with the Waikouaiti Racing Club, which runs the course.
"I want to give it a really good go for the next 12 months and if it doesn't work out, then it might be call-it-quits time,'' Hoffman said.
"It's so hard to compete at the moment with everything.''
Hoffman has established a reputation during her time at Westwood Beach as a talented horsewoman able to respond to the needs of unsound racehorses who appreciate their work along the beach.
"I still love dealing with those ones, but I just want to give it one last crack at training and get some nice young ones.''
The all-weather track inside the course proper at Waikouaiti will give Hoffman the chance to work with juveniles and yearlings, while her main racing team will still be worked on the beach at Waikouaiti.
"All the racing ones will be on the beach and the young ones will be on the track,'' she said.
"I'm hoping for some 2yr-olds and just to get a few young ones around me.''
Being 45 minutes closer to the racing scene in Canterbury would also be a help.
"We're on a six-month trial so if it all works out and they're happy, they're going to let us stay,'' she said.
"I just want to give it one last crack, and give it another really good 12 months and see how it goes.''
Hoffman expects to take about 20 horses to Waikouaiti at the start of next month, and she will begin moving gear north in the coming weeks.
Hoffman has trained 186 winners across both the standardbred and thoroughbred codes.
One hundred and seventy-one of those have come in harness racing, collecting 99 wins in partnership with Graeme Anderson, 52 in combination with Jonny Cox and 20 on her own account during the past two seasons.
She has trained 15 winners from limited numbers over nine seasons of holding a training licence in the thoroughbred code.
Her small team of thoroughbreds will be among the 20 horses Hoffman takes to Waikouaiti, as is New Years Jay, whose next start is in the Winter Cup this weekend.
"She's racing at Addington on Saturday against Christen Me, unfortunately. But she's off the front and he's off 40m or 50m, so we should be able get to the death which she always likes.''
Hoffman will have Strictly Limited and Enchanter in the hurdles event at Wingatui on June 4.
Considering her experience across two of the three codes, Hoffman was asked if perhaps greyhound training could add a third string to her bow.
"I can't even control my Jack Russell,'' Hoffman laughed.
"He's got a mind of his own.''
