The Tamworth Paceway is a happy hunting ground for Blake Hughes.
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The Maitland reinsman has achieved seven winning drives since the beginning of January - six of those have come at Tamworth Paceway.
After driving three winners at the Tamworth harness meeting last Friday, Hughes will feature once again at Tamworth on Thursday after accepting six drives on the eight-race card.
Two of those drives will be behind horses he combined with to win last Friday in Miso Miso and Pay Me Smart from the Tony Missen stables.
The win with Miso Miso came in the KTR Standardbred Dash For Cash over 1230 metres.
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Miso Miso joined the Tony Missen stables back in December after racing in Victoria and has produced three wins from five starts.
Commencing from the four barrier Miso Miso joined in the speed battle for the lead but Hughes was happy to pull back into the one by one race position.
Roger That from the Greg Coney stables driven by Robbie Morris and Eagle Commander, trained and driven by Nathan Hurst, continued to battle it out for the lead.
"The speed was on which suited him," Hughes said of Miso Miso
"I thought Roger That would lead up and I got a good sit in the one by one - it worked out well."
Hughes placed in his challenge with Miso Miso as the field rounded the final bend to come away for a 3.8-metre win over Sky Diamond (Jack Callaghan) and Zoemagic from the Brendan James stable.
Hughes then picked up his second win in taking out the Hazells Tamworth Local Final with Pay Me Smart which handed Tony Missen a training double.
Pay Me Smart commenced from the one barrier with Hughes retaining the race lead with the seven-year-old mare.
"She went good," Hughes said after the win.
"We got a breather early in the race and she settles a lot better out in the front."
After leading all the way Pay Me Smart held on for a 3.2 metre win over Nor Westa (Glenn McElhinney) and Brie (Anthony Varga) a half neck away third.
Hughes has had four drives behind Pay Me Smart with the result of three wins and a second - all at Tamworth.
"She is getting better with each run," Hughes said.
Pay Me Smart is raced by Tamworth Harness Racing Club Life member Barry Schipp and his wife Beverly who are enjoying the success with Pay Me Smart who is responding well under the training by Missen.
"The mare is putting it all together now," Missen said.
"She can get a bit feisty but I thought she would be hard to beat in front.
"Being trained on the track makes it better."
Hughes rounded out his three winning drives for the night in taking out the $12,000 Garrards Horse and Hound Tamworth City Cup behind the Clayton Harmey-trained Portalegre.
Portalegre produced a winning margin of 2.5 metres over Major Bob (Grace Panella) and Pitch Perfect (Robert Morris) a neck away third and was backing up after winning The Pub Group Gold Nugget the week prior.
Pay Me Smart has a tougher draw on Thursday afternoon at Tamworth out of the five barrier in the running of the Nutrien Classic Sale @ Alec Pace while Miso Miso will commence from barrier eight in the running of the HRC Volunteers & Workers Appreciation Pace.
Hughes will also take drives behind It Aint Royal for the Richard Williams stables, Lurking for the Brendan James and a further two drives for the Missen stables behind My Kinda Justus and Dunrobbin.
