ALL THE WAY FROM NEWCASTLE

It’s a big call to jump in a car and drive the family more than 1000km to watch a horse race.

But that’s what you do when you’re an owner and trots fanatic.

This is exactly what Wayne and Eliza Hamilton did, travelling from Newcastle to Ballarat with their two young children to see their three-year-old filly Frankincense make her debut at Bray Raceway.

And they could not have been happier to be on track to see Frankincense salute in the Wiltronics 3yo Pace, 2200m.

Frankincense ($2.10 favourite) sat outside the leader before drawing away by 2.7m in a mile rate 2:3.9 for Cardigan trainer Emma Stewart and champion reinsman Chris Alford.

The Hamiltons breed standardbreds, but Frankincense was a chance purchase as a weanling they saw her advertised for sale by prominent breeder Susan Wegman.

Wegman has been a prominent breeders for many years and after a glance through the bloodlines of Frankincense the Hamiltons were quickly interested, with her being from the same family as Victoria Derby and multiple group 1 winner Menin Gate.

Frankincense’s granddam Shes Cool is also the great granddam of Menin Gate.

It is a family which has produced many winners.

Shes Cool produced 10 winners, although Frankincense’s mother Our Poppi Girl was not one of them. She was unraced.

Frankincense is the first offspring of Our Poppi Girl to race.

Frankincense spent the early part of education with NSW trainer Michael Formosa.

The Hamiltons transferred her to Emma Stewart’s stable owing to the fact she is Vicbred qualified.

If they way she won her first race is any indication, the Hamiltons might be making quite a few trips to Victoria to see the smart filling racing.