Ciaron Maher acknowledged the work of staff at his Ballarat stable after Incredulous Dream won a two-year-old fillies’ maiden on debut at Bendigo last Saturday.
Incredulous Dream ($7) got up in the last stride to beat Hindaam and Miss Kingston over 1100 metres.
Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace, said the Press Statement filly could be an Oaks contender next spring.
“Our two-year-olds have had a great run from our Caulfield and Warwick Farm stables but Incredulous Dream is our first winner from the Ballarat stable,” Maher said. 
“It’s a great result for the staff at Ballarat and in particular Matt Smerdon and my brother Declan, who have done a lot of work with the filly. 
“She had issues with the barriers early on but Matt and Declan sorted that out and she’s only going to improve once she gets out over more ground. I’m quietly confident she might be an Oaks filly in the spring.”
Incredulous Dream has been nominated for the $1 million ATC Sires’ Produce at Randwick on April 4 and the $1 million Percy Sykes Stakes at Randwick on April 11. 
She was sold for $340,000 at the 2019 Gold Coast Yearling Sales.
Time flies
Watching last Saturday’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning, retired champion Western District jockey Neville “Nifty” Wilson said his win on Redelva in the same race 30 years earlier seemed “like it was yesterday”.
A career highlighted on his favourite horse Redelva – Wilson could remember vividly the Millicent trained galloper’s victory over Show County and Strawberry Ranch.
“There’s been a lot of water go under the bridge in the last 30 years but it’s gone quick,” he said. “Redelva was a great horse to me — the best horse I rode. I won 13 races on him and three of those were Group 1s — the Lightning, the Futurity and the William Reid.”
Wilson, who rode more then 2000 winners, retired from riding in September 2012.
Black-booker
Grandview Avenue: The honest performer kept up his consistent record running third in a benchmark 78 at Colac last Sunday for Warrnambool trainer Simon Ryan. He’s due for another win in similar company, especially if he strikes a wet track.