Some detective work by trainer Brian Wakefield to track down the dam of his winter carnival hope Denarius has paid off with the mare in foal to Red Element.

Denarius rocketed into winter carnival calculations with an impressive win in a three-year-old event over 1110 metres at Doomben on Saturday.

Wakefield is convinced Denarius can progress to the Group Two Queensland Guineas or better.

"He is still learning and he has never drawn a single figure barrier in four starts," Wakefield said.

Wakefield's late father, Brian Wakefield Sr, bought Denarius' dam Praia Vermelha at a Sydney sale because she was closely related to one of his good mares, Hell For Leather.

"Hell For Leather is the dam of good Brisbane sprinter Adebisi and Dad had high hopes for Praia Vermelha as a racehorse," Wakefield said.

"But Praia Vermelha got knee chips so we sent her to stud."

"The first couple we got out of her weren't much good so we kept Denarius and gave her away."

After Denarius showed plenty of ability before his first start Wakefield decided it might be a good idea to reclaim his dam.

However, much to his dismay he couldn't find her.

"Apparently at one stage she was even being used as a pet pony by the daughter of a country and western star," he said.

Wakefield kept searching and eventually tracked her down.

"She went off to Red Element, who is Denarius' sire, and is in foal. So let's hope the saga has a happy ending," Wakefield said.