Many would think that after just 10 years in the often heartbreaking breeding and racing game, the relative newcomers had struck early gold.

But the road to the Caulfield Cup has been far from smooth for Patrick Hodgens and his wife Yolanda, who embarked on a racing and breeding hobby a decade ago

Hodgens, a Sydney-based fund manager, always had a love of racing and the pedigrees of racehorses was also an interest.

In 2010 the couple purchased broodmare Zazita, a daughter of Zabeel, which seven years later has become a sought-after bloodline.

"I really enjoyed racing and breeding but that was from afar," Hodgens said. "So 10 years ago we decided to buy a broodmare and we chose Zazita, primarily from advice from a dear friend, Adam White.

"He emphasised the importance of the Zabeel bloodline and so we started a new breeding venture."

They purchased Zazita, who was in foal to Commands, however that foal didn't measure up to the standard Hodgens expected.

"But after he struggled to make the grade we pushed on and then we thought a great click would be with Testa Rossa, who was narrowly beaten in the Caulfield Guineas but we believed it was a vintage year," Hodgens said.

The result was Amelie's Star, born on October 16, 2011.

Amelia's Star was sent to Melbourne trainer Peter Moody but the filly was trained from Moody's Randwick base.

"We gave her time - lots of time - and I think that has helped her cause so much," he said.

A 10-length win at Hawkesbury showed that Amelie's Star was going to be a stayer; the question was a slow one or a fast one?

After her huge Hawkesbury win the mare notched three city victories, including the group 3 Colin Stephen Stakes.

With four wins in a row, the world of racing appeared easy to the Hodgens. But that enthusiasm at plotting challenging roles for Amelie's Star came to a grinding halt in September 2015, when a veterinary examination showed the mare had damaged a tendon and was likely to never race again.

But the couple were determined not to give up and sent the gifted mare to Melbourne for a two-year rehabilitation. Amelie's Star trotted 20 kilometres a day for nearly 500 days before being prepared for another crack at racing.

"We spoke to Darren Weir as Peter Moody was no longer training and he understood where Amelie's Star was coming from and what rehabilitation she had been through. He knew exactly the path we wanted to take and we just sat back and waited," Hodgens said.

Amelie's Star's form has got stronger with Weir grooming the mare slowly for better-quality races. After her gritty last-start win at Flemington Amelie's Star is realising the huge potential she promised in 2015.

Friends and well-wishers will join the Hodgens on Saturday when they fly into Melbourne for the Caulfield Cup. There will be pressure just before post time, but nothing like having to wait two years to see if their precious race mare would return to the track.