Angela Smith scaled her greatest heights as a trainer when she prepared Time Frame to win the 1997 Perth Cup.
Her most emotional victory occurred 14 years later when Viscount Cameron won the 2011 Broome Cup.
The veteran gelding, placed twice previously in the Broome Cup, broke through after charging home from near last.
Smith savoured Viscount Cameron’s win with husband, Malcolm, an integral part of her training operation in Wagin.
The former shearer was fortunate to be in Broome; just three months earlier he was diagnosed with a life threatening illness.
“Malcolm suffered massive brain bleeding and was lucky to be alive,” said Smith.
“Doctors said if he had left it another day he would have been carried out in a box.
“He was starting to feel unwell and I sent him to the physio thinking he may have pulled a muscle or pinched a nerve.
“The physio quickly identified something was wrong and he was rushed straight to hospital.
“Everything happened so quickly and it was quite a stressful period.”
Smith had fully expected to miss the Broome season with her sole focus dedicated to Malcolm’s recovery.
But she hadn’t counted on her husband’s stubborn persistence.
“He was adamant that we send the horses to Broome as originally planned,” Smith said.
“He argued we had put too much work and effort in to let it pass by.
“He was certain he would join me by the end of the season.
“I had my doubts because of the seriousness of his illness but he bounced back very quickly.”
Smith said Malcolm’s determination mirrored Viscount Cameron who returned from a year-long injury layoff to win the Broome Cup.
She credited fate playing a major role in the gelding’s victory.
“At Time Frame’s Perth Cup presentation, Malcolm held the trophy aloft and sang Lee Kernaghan’s song: The boys from the bush are back in town,” said Smith.
“The exact same song blared out when we were saddling Viscount Cameron ahead of the Broome Cup.
“We hadn’t heard it since the Perth Cup.
“After all the trials and tribulations we had gone through it almost appeared prophetic.”