Junior driver Sheree Tomlinson could not have asked for a better way to drive her first winner when she steered home Little Mo at Oamaru yesterday.
Tomlinson (17) has been searching for an elusive maiden victory since she gained her junior driver's licence in October, but there was an element yesterday that made Little Mo's win just that little more special.
Tomlinson rated Little Mo to perfection in the c1 trot, and was proud to get home the half-brother of champion Lyell Creek for her grandfather, Ken Ford, who trains at West Melton.
''I'm shaking a little bit, actually,'' Tomlinson said.
"I'm stoked to do it on one of the family's horses.''
Tomlinson's mother, Amanda, is a top horsewoman in her own right, and harness racing is clearly in Tomlinson's blood.
"I remember sitting on Mum's lap doing fast work when I was really young,'' the Darfield High School pupil said.
"And I've always ridden horses from a young age. All the way through, I've wanted to drive horses.''
Tomlinson has been in Southland working at Murray Brown's Invercargill stables over the summer holidays and is considering launching into the industry fulltime.
"My first goal was to get a winner, and now it's probably just to carry on and get another winner and go from there.''
