Gottagoodfeeling wins for Barron and van Opzeeland

Bruce Stewart Journalist

Gottagoodfeeling did what few two year old fillies can do –  she travelled from Canterbury to Southland the day before her first start and win.

“It was a big, long trip for her. Interislander (Transport) said there would be quite a few stops and it could be a ten hour trip. I rang Clark (brother) and asked if she was there yet? He said she got there at 3.15pm, drank half a bucket of water and went out into the paddock bucking and kicking. I said ‘you’ve told me everything I need to know’. It’s a big ask to have a two year old travel so far the day before her first race,” successful trainer Ken Barron said.

In today’s Dynes Legacy Two Year Old Fillies Mobile Pace at Winton, driver Blair Orange pushed hard early before handing up to second favourite Suva Baby.

Heading for home, Gottagoodfeeling shot up the passing lane to beat Suva Baby by one and a quarter lengths with Validation a further length back in third.

The winning time for the 1609 metres was 1-55.2.

“She’s always shown quite a bit of promise. She’s always been good gaited, but she’s been a bit smart. The Vincents are quite like that. She only had one trial and we thought she was good enough to race, but they never held the races (in Canterbury). We trialed her again and we had to decide whether to turn her out or go to this race. She trialed good and Blair doesn’t normally say too much, but he couldn’t believe how good she trialed.”

Barron says Gottagoodfeeling will stay in the south for the $40,000 Group Three Southern Two Year Old Fillies Classic at Winton in a fortnight.

“Then we’ll bring her home for the Leonard Memorial a week later and then just analysis it from there. We don’t normally come down for one race and BB Crunch is coming down to target the Southern Oaks too.”

Gottagoodfeeling’s breeder/owner Hazel van Opzeeland has raced horses with Barron for a long time and also has a promising two year old colt Miki Becx, (Always B Miki – Imke B) with him.

“He was quite a bit better than her, but something went wrong with him. He just went off that bad we had to turn him out. She (Gottagoodfeeling) was our best filly and he was our best colt. A month after we turned him out he blossomed and he looks enormous. We’re better to wait for the spring.”