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Brooke Somers took three horses to yesterday’s Queanbeyan TAB meeting – and came home with the best result of her brief career.
The Hawkesbury trainer clinched her first ever double and her other horse ran third.
"Going to the races, I thought all three horses had good chances, and they didn't let me down," Somers said today.
"It was great to get my first double."
Somers, an accomplished horsewoman who has been training for only a few years, scored with two of her "girls", C'Est La Vie (4-20 joint favorite) and Our Sweet Love ($3.80).
Quayde Krogh rode both horses, and was rewarded for his work ethic.
"Quayde comes out to Hawkesbury a couple of mornings a week to ride work," Somers said.
"We started a connection with him through one of our owners who is Quayde's uncle."
C'est La Vie defeated outsiders Solar Shadow ($17) and Café Terrace ($15) in the Benchmark 50 Handicap (1460m) to post the second win of her 13-start career.
Our Sweet Love beat $2.60 favorite Aradhana in the Maiden Handicap (1000m) to break through at only her fifth start.
It was C'est La Vie who completed Somers' most successful season (with six winners) when she broke through in a 1350m Maiden at Cessnock on July 30 last year.
Both C'est Le Vie and Our Sweet Love began their racing careers with other trainers and, through circumstances, have found their way to Somers' stable.
Warwick Farm trainer Greg Hickman paid $16,000 for C'est La Vie, a now four-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom, at the 2017 Scone yearling sale.
But she had only four starts for Pierata's trainer before heading "bush" to Hawkesbury.
"She was very difficult to handle earlier in her career, and we had to do a lot of work with her," Somers explained.
"We got her about 12 months ago, and she is a quirky mare.
"Stepping back up in distance at Queanbeyan suited her as she was able to lead on her own."
Our Sweet Love, a three-year-old daughter of Time For War, was a $3000 purchase as a weanling.
She began her career with fellow Hawkesbury trainer Jamie Thomsen, who is currently serving a disqualification.
"We were fortunate to be given the filly to train, and it was good to get a first-up win with her," Somers said.
"She trialled on a heavy track at Warwick Farm on March 10 and did an excellent job to score at her first start since last August."
Somers' double lifted her season's tally to four. Her third Queanbeyan starter Prolongo (Jordan Mallyon) finished third at $9.50 in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1600m).
Hawkesbury still didn't miss out on a result however as fellow trainer John Higgins won the race with $10 chance The Towers, ridden by Brendan Ward.
A five-year-old son of Choisir, The Towers clinched his second win at his 19th start.
Higgins, who prepares only a small team, joined the list of Hawkesbury trainers who have enjoyed success this season.
His previous winner was Our Celtic Star on his home track in July last year.
. Thanks to the Queanbeyan trio and Brad Widdup's Muswellbrook victory with Bullet Storm today, Hawkesbury trainers have now prepared 14 winners so far this month.