In Brief

• Son of Rebel Bride finds a way to win on debut.
• Owner-breeder thrilled with gelding's effort.
• Perseverance pays for the Wickham's.

The Team Wells-trained grey gelding drew a wide gate and was snagged back to last and was still in that precarious position at the top of the home straight, but 200 metres out the gelded son of former star Tasmanian mare Rebel Bride seemingly sprouted wings and rattled home to win the Ladbrokes Maiden over 1100m.

Rebel Factor, owned and bred by Chris and Sharon Wickham, is prepared by Team Wells at Spreyton and co-trainer Dean Wells was rapt with the result.

"They had so much trouble getting this one going in the early days, but Chris has persevered, and I'm thrilled that the horse has been able to win," Wells said.

Jockey Siggy Carr was also delighted with the result and declared she thought the gelding could not win half-way up the home straight.

"The horse still does a few things wrong at the barriers but that will get better with experience," Carr said.

"It wasn't my best ride and half-way up the straight I didn't give him a chance of winning, but somehow he's done it."

Owner Chris Wickham said he almost gave up on the horse early on.

"There were issues early on and when he developed a foot problem, I thought he might not race but we persevered and here we are standing in the winner's circle," Wickham said.

"We will just keep on pottering along with him and hopefully we can pick up another win and then tip him out."

Rebel Bride was a champion mare, winning the Group 3 Bow Mistress twice and the Group 3 Vamos Stakes, as well as multiple weight-for-age races during her darer that comprised 32 starts for 14 wins and 13 minor placings for $560,000 in stakes.