Hill takes successive Sweepstakes wins

Veteran harness racing trainer Paul Hill has long been regarded as a dab hand with young horses so it came as no surprise that his two-year-old Playing Arkabella powered her way to an impressive win in the Elderslie Horse Care 2YO Sweepstakes final for fillies over 1609m at UBET Park Hobart yesterday.

Playing Arkabella was forced to face the breeze outside of the leader Harshali for the entire race but she made light of the task to go on and score by 1-1/4 metres from Harshali with Volkova Leis over eight metres away third.

Hill trained last year's fillies'' sweepstakes winner Chica Bella and he also prepared Almost Famous to win the race in 2001.

The winner was well driven by Ricky Duggan who was content to allow the filly to race in the "death" but without putting too much pressure on the daughter of Shadow Play.

"This filly has done everything I've asked of her since she came into work and today was her best effort because it was tough out there in those windy conditions but she showed her courage," Hill said.

"She is going to be a better three-yea-old so everything she's done so far and is likely to do for the rest of her two-year-old season is a bonus."

Playing Arkabella was bred by Kareena Blackwell who also owns the filly in partnership with Brad Jones and Ben Rossendell.

"I am absolutely rapt because as a breeder you always hope you can get one that can win a feature race so this is the best feeling ever," Blackwell said.

"I work at Roberts (rural trader) so I asked a couple of my work mates Brad Jones and Ben Rossendell to be part of a syndicate to race this filly so they'll both be thrilled."

Peter Staples