When 19-year-old trainer Amber Lancaster notched her first lifetime training win with Classy Character in the Fraser Downs Open Pace last Friday, she could not have been more pleased.
"I have followed my dream, this is what I want to do and hopefully success is in the near future," Lancaster told Trot Insider. The daughter of industry veterans Tim & Sandra Brown, Lancaster has long been a fan of the sport that is clearly in her blood.
"I did get started in the horse racing business because of my dad but also my Lancaster side of the family has been in the sport for a long period of time, so I guess you could say it was bred into me.
"The first time I harnessed a horse was for my dad when I was 12, and from then on it was what I wanted to do. My dad has been the main reason why I am so interested in harness racing!"
Lancaster currently has a barn of seven horses - "enough to keep busy" - and continues to take in knowledge from those around her.
"There are many people that I could list right now that have gone out of there way to help me, I am definitely thanking them for everything they have done. I would not be in the position that I am in without them. But my two biggest influences thus far are my parents; my dad is there to teach me everything I need to know. Everyday is an learning experience with him. My mom also has been a big influence, a lot of the grooming and the hands-on work that I have learned has been from her."
The hard work paid off last Friday when Classy Character posted the minor upset in a gutsy wire-to-wire 1:53.1 victory in the $17,000 Open Pace at Fraser, his first win in open competition.
"What a way to start it off - my first training win with Classy Character. It was an honour to win in the top level class at Fraser Downs and I could not have been more happy."
Lancaster and Classy Character will have their work cut out for them in Saturday's edition of the Open, leaving from Post 6 and picked for second in the morning line at odds of 7-2. The Scott Knight-trained entry of Round Table Review (PP4, Bill Tainsh) and Trust The Artist (PP9, Knight) is the 2-1 morning line choice.
To view Saturday's entries, click here.