And it is appropriate her first solo winner as a standardbred trainer came with a horse who can be a bit of a handful.
Sunny Demon not only lives up to the second part of his name, but also the reputation of his sister, Armbro Demon. Her speed was only matched by her stroppy temperament, the temperament winning out earlier this season.
The Demon duo are just one pair of horses Hoffman has used her equine skills on to calm them down, and many troubled horses have found their feet after some time on the beach.
Hoffman said Sunny Demon was ''not as bad'' as Armbro Demon when it came to testing her patience.
''He was a bit naughty when we first got him. He still, every now and then, tries to act on it but you can actually tell him off and he listens,'' she said.
''He's getting better and better each time we do something with him.''
The 4yr-old, raced by Bryan Minty and Ivan Hastings, of Oamaru, won a workout in March last year for breeder Chris McLeod before transferring to Hoffman's property later on last year.
The improvement in times in his workouts suggested a horse with some speed and that was confirmed with a smart qualifying effort at Forbury Park on March 7.
Things did not go to script at Winton on debut as he broke at the 500m mark when racing in the trail, but that was all part of the learning experience.
''He's always had a ton of ability but it was more trying to get the brain to calm down.
''Since that first start he's actually been a different horse. He's just very relaxed. Maybe the racing is going to be key to him.''
Hoffman reported both New Years Jay and Jaccka Justy had a ''really good blow'' after their runs at Addington last Friday.
New Years Jay has been nominated for the $25,000 free-for-all where she could potentially face Christen Me and Terror To Love, while Jaccka Justy will take on Stent and King Denny among others in the group 1 New Zealand Trotting Championship.
Tomahawk trainer Eian Lamb was not expecting much from Feather Boyz in the c1-c3 trot yesterday - and the lack of the movement in his wallet was proof.
The 5yr-old had shown no interest in trotting to his potential on grass tracks, having been unplaced in all three starts on grass prior to yesterday.
''I didn't even have a bet on him,'' he said.
Percius provided first-time owners Mike and Christine Farley with a win in short order in race 2.
The Farleys are holiday companions of Keith and Tracey Norman, and decided to get into ownership during conversations over ''many cocktails,'' Christine Farley said.
The Live Or Die 4yr-old had previously been raced by Lindsay Wilson out of Hamish Hunter's Ryal Bush stable until the Normans and Farleys bought the horse about three weeks ago.
