Charlie Goggin and his daughter Luella Meaburn have enjoyed a lot of success since they teamed up four years ago and one feature race they’re keen to win is the Tasmanian Oaks.
The Runnymede trainers have found a likely candidate for the classic with Big Brown filly Bella Venus who won the South Sea Oysters Maiden Plate (1000m) in Hobart on Sunday.
Front-runner Miss Mars had no answer to the powerful finish of Bella Venus. She camped just off the pace and let down brilliantly when produced by Victorian jockey Corey Parish in the straight.
Goggin was delighted with the victory. “She is a very nice filly. She does everything right and we have been patient because I believe she has the potential to be very good over a distance.’
Bella Venus (3f Big Brown – Bellasham by Shamardal) was purchased by Prime Thoroughbreds syndicator Joe O’Neill for $35,000 at the 2013 Gold Coast Magic Millions. Her second-dam is an At Talaq mare from the family of NZ Champion Horlicks.
The LR Tasmanian Oaks (2100m) will be run on February 22. “We still have a way to go,” Goggin said. “But she’s definitely bred to stay and is a perfect type for the Oaks.”
Big Brown shuttles to Vinery Stud and has sired 21 stakes performers in his first three crops for earnings more than $7.40 million.
Billy Big Brown, the first of his Australian bred two year-old newcomers, will debut in the Surf Meets The Turf Plate (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday. He is trained by Bjorn Baker for owner-breeder John Singleton and won both his trials at Warwick Farm and Hawkesbury earlier this month.
