You won’t find her in the mounting yard at Flemington this Saturday on Victoria Derby day. You are unlikely even to see her this Wednesday on Bendigo Cup day.

But what the 23-year Bendigo hobby trainer does share with her more high-profile name colleagues is an unbridled love for horses.

Vanderfeen, whose most recent winner came on Gunbower Cup day earlier this month, combines part-time training with her job as a scientist at the East Bendigo-based Ace Laboratory Services.

She took over training from her father Kevin in 1994 and rarely has more than two gallopers, either owned by herself, family or close friends, in work at any time.

She readily concedes her horses do not win ‘out of turn’, but that in no way fazes her.

“I find training relaxing … I leave the stressing to others,” Vanderfeen said.

Asked to nominate her biggest training success, a hearty laugh followed her reply of ‘a Manangatang maiden’.

She finds great delight in telling the tale of how a gelding she picked up for next to nothing called The Flying Sun won his maiden race at a Mansfield picnic meeting earlier this year, years after he was purchased as a yearling by his former owners for $164,000.

“It just goes to show, there are never any guarantees for success in racing,” she said.

“(On Saturday) at St Arnaud there was another one from the same stud and it just won a 52 class race.

“It was by Not A Single Doubt, who is a $100,000 stallion.”

Lately the horses have kept her busier after agreeing to take over the training of a group of horses previously mentored by Brad Cole, who is recovering from a serious strain of influenza, which hospitalised him in Melbourne.

One of Cole’s horses Stella The Boss, who won her maiden race on Bendigo Cup day last year, will be Vanderfeen’s next starter on Tuesday at Benalla.

Racing is in the blood for the boffin turned horse mentor.

“Dad was a (race) starter and clerk of the course; my whole family going back generations has been involved in racing,” she said.

“It was funny, one of my cousins was doing some research and she found something about one of our great, great grandfathers and he was at Axedale and he was having discussions with the stewards about the Axedale racecourse.

“I just like horses – it’s a family thing. Another one of my cousins is vice-chairman of the Moe Racing Club.”

The bulk of Vanderfeen’s thoroughbreds ply their trade each season on Victoria’s bristling picnic scene.

It’s where one of her owners and also track rider Craig Kirkpatrick competes as a jockey, alongside fellow Bendigo hoop Courtney Pace, who last season dominated the premiership race.

“The picnics are fun – it’s racing like it used to be,” Vanderfeen said.

“Families go along and have fun and the people that train the horses own the horses, or have a close relationship with them.

“A lot of the Bendigo trainers really support the picnics.

“Courtney Pace is here and is the leading rider. She is very keen and the trainers support her, and Rob and Craig Kirkpatrick both ride, and Toby Lake.”

Vanderfeen narrowly missed a trip to the winners’ stall on Saturday, with another Cole horse Nickalo relegated into third place for the second run in a row at St Arnaud.

She will not have a runner on Bendigo Cup day, but wished her fellow local trainers every success.

“It’s a nice day and a lovely course and always looks good,” she said.

“(Track manager Bernard Hopkins) won an award for it; the course proper is always amazing.”