Apprentice Bridget Grylls had to abandon pre-race plans before steering improving two-year-old Dream Finnish to a win at Doomben on Saturday.
The outsider of the field, Dream Finnish ($18) came from last to charge along the rails to beat favourite Montana Star ($3.10) by 1-1/4 lengths in the Mater Dei P&F Handicap.
Grylls was full of praise for Dream Finnish and pointed out she had hoped to lead in the race.
"The connections wanted her to go to the front but she was restless in the barriers and then didn't jump cleanly," Grylls said.
Trainer Michael Nolan confirmed he had hoped to lead with Dream Finnish but was full of praise for Grylls' cool ride.
"Dream Finnish was the only one who had raced at 1350 metres and I thought the distance might test a few of them."
"So we wanted to lead to test them out. But it worked out OK in the end. She has improved lengths since her Ipswich win and I think there is even more improvement in her," Nolan said.
Meanwhile, Sydney galloper Paederos ($3.90) made a hit-and-run visit to win the Qld Accounting Group Handicap.
Michael Whiteman, stable spokesman for trainer David Payne, said Paederos had little luck at his recent starts.
"When he was able to lead and dictate I knew he would be hard to beat," Whiteman said.