So the Waikouaiti trainer would love to be back at Addington in mid-November chasing her second Dominion Trot as a trainer, but this time with former age-group star King Denny.
Hoffman and then co-trainer Jonny Cox won the 2014 edition of the Dominion with Jaccka Justy, and now King Denny has been nominated for the 3200m trot on November 11.
King Denny won three group 1 races in the 2013-14 season, including both the New Zealand and Great Northern Trotting Derbies, but the problems have all been in his head since he tailed off last spring.
Which is where Hoffman comes in. She has been working on the horse for the past four or five months after Canterbury trainer Mark Jones sent the son of Majestic Son south.
''He's a funny wee horse - I think he had enough and lost the plot there for a while,'' she said.
''It's taken a long time to get him to stop bolting and doing everything wrong, so we're slowly getting there.''
Hoffman has been working the gelding on both the track and the beach, and riding him under saddle has also helped.
''Once we got him settled right, we started putting him in the cart. He was all right, but was still doing a few things wrong.
''He never bolted in the cart with me, but he would just get a bit hyper and run out and do little silly things. But his work at the last couple of trials has been good.''
Hoffman had King Denny at the Ashburton trials yesterday, where he finished fourth behind Tornado Valley but was never asked for a big effort. He will press on to the meeting at Addington on Friday night. The medium-term target is the Ordeal Cup on September 9.
Hoffman is unsure how long she might have the former star, but is enjoying every day.
''He may end up back in Christchurch because most of [owner] Merv Butterworth's horses race up there, so whether he ends back up at Mark Jones' or Mark Purdon's, I'm not too sure.
''But we've got him settled enough now that he should be fine if he went back up.''
King Denny is one of four Dominion nominations trained in the greater Otago area, with Oamaru trainer Phil Williamson providing the other three. Springbank Eden and Monty Python have been joined by stable newcomer Alley Way, who finished second in last year's Dominion when trained by Neville Skinner.
Westwood Beach trainer Graeme Anderson provides the sole Otago-trained nomination in the New Zealand Cup with eight-win pacer Expresso Martini, which is owned by the Met Eight Syndicate.
Lazarus, Didjamakem Bolt, Have Faith In Me, Smolda and Titan Banner give the All Stars Stables a five-strong bid for the $750,000 holy grail of New Zealand harness racing.
Costa Del Magnifico, who was named horse of the year at the Southland awards on Sunday night, is also among the nominations.
Nominations:
New Zealand Cup: Alleluia, Brilliant Strike, Christen Me, Costa Del Magnifico, Cullect A Guinness, Didjamakem Bolt, Expressive Victor, Expresso Martini, Franco Ledger, Franco Nelson, Have Faith In Me, Hughie Green, Hug The Wind, Idealindiamonds, Itz Bettor To Win, Lazarus, Lewy Risk, Locharburn, Maverick, Messini, Mighty Flying Mac, Moonrock, Mossdale Conner, No Doctor Needed, Philadelphia Man, Quick As A Trick, Seel The Deal, Smolda, Tiger Tara, Titan Banner.
Dominion Handicap: Alley Way, Amaretto Sun, Arran Chief, Arya, Belles Son, Bordeaux, Cool Cobber, Daryl Boko, Foray, Glenferrie Typhoon, Golden Gate, Habibti, Harriet Of Mot, Harrysul, Jag's Invasion, Keystone Del, King Denny, Kyvalley Blur, Le Reveur, Master Lavros, Monbet, Monty Python, My Tribeca, One Over Da Moon, Overanova, Paramount Dream, Quevert, Quite A Moment, Realmein, Sheemon, Scarrymcleary, Springbank Eden, Stent, Sun Of Anarchy, Sunny Ruby, Sunset Peak, Tornado Valley, Valmagne, Vincennes, Waterloo Sunset, Zachary Binx.
