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Cambridge trainer Paul Mirabelli believes he may have found the key to handy performer Big Dreamer after the stakes placed mare delivered a fresh-up victory on the weekend.

The now six-year-old daughter of No Excuse Needed has fashioned a tidy record for Mirabelli including some top performances in the best of company without managing to break through at the highest level.

Good enough to run within three lengths of Aide Memoire in the Gr. 1 Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham last season, Big Dreamer has often spoiled her chances through poor racing manners and pre-race behaviour however her mentor believes she may finally be ready to put those antics behind her.

“She’s always been a real tricky number but this time she has come in and been so quiet and easy to deal with,” Mirabelli explained.

“We’ve normally had to work her hard before her first up runs to get her to behave herself on raceday but this time she has been as easy as pie, which has been wonderful.

“She’s got black-type and has run in Group One company and finished fifth at weight-for-age so we know the ability is there.”

Mirabelli was quick to pay tribute to track-rider Ryan Simpson after the race, as well as apprentice Hairi Marzuki who was aboard for the victory.

“I’ve got to thank Ryan as he rides all the work on her,” he noted.

“Without him we would be quite lost as she has been very tricky as I said.

“Hairi used to ride a horse called Salted Caramel for me when he first kicked off in New Zealand and never did anything wrong on her so it’s good we could give him the ride here and get rewarded.”

Marzuki had been aboard the mare in her final track gallop during the week and had told Mirabelli he was confident a win was in the pipeline.

“I galloped the horse in her last work and I said to Paul that this horse should win anytime,” he said.

“She is such a big horse and she travelled well. I knew I had to be with the front bunch by the 400 (metre mark) so I let her go and she just kept going.”