Fiona Stevens has won races before, but Rakadeaks’ victory at Ascot Park on Thursday felt a little different.
Stevens registered her first official win as a trainer when her big striding pacer swept past his rivals on the home turn to score for driver Peter Hunter.
The Winton trainer has been involved in the preparation of plenty of pacers with husband Richard in recent seasons.
But to have her name in the record books added another layer to the thrill of winning.
"It definitely did. That was very special today," Stevens said.
Hunter gave Rakadeaks a great run in the one-one and when he asked the horse to go at the 400m, he reeled in his rivals quickly.
"When I saw him put his big head in front around the turn I was hoping he could hang on," Stevens said.
Rakadeaks came to the Stevens stable after being tried in the Clark Barron stable by Richard’s uncle, Brendan Fahy.
"We got him after the Riverton meeting on the grass," Richard said.
"Clark Barron came and approached me. We didn’t need another horse, but I asked him if he would be worth a go and Clark said he definitely would.
"We tipped him out and let his big head grow into his body.
"The breed has been going great in Aussie. They stay all day."
Rakadeaks’ victory came during an exciting time for Fiona and Richard.
The couple are waiting to move into a new home close to their stable at Winton after more than two decades at Drummond.
"We are actually going to be homeless for a week. We are waiting to move into our new place which is closer to the stable," Fiona said.
"We have been in Drummond for 22 years, but it’s onwards and upwards.
"Our kids have all moved on, but they were straight on the phone after the win.
"It will just make things easier being closer to the horses.
"With the travel, we have just made things work. You do that when you have horses."
"Richard would feed them on the way to work and then we would work them in the afternoons.
"We have had Richard’s brother, Mark, helping out lately, which has been great."
The Stevens work their horses around their commitments running Subway Winton, which is a sponsor of harness racing in Southland.
Rakadeaks helped make more history at Ascot Park on Thursday.
Transtasman breeding operation Alabar stood the sire of every horse that won on the seven-race card.
