Mighty midget Marveen staked a serious claim for the Group One Queensland Oaks later this month with a gutsy win in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet.Marveen, ridden by Blake Shinn, had to overcome a wide barrier and ground out a neck win over New Zealand filly La Etoile with AJC Oaks placegetter Miss Darcey a further length away third in Saturday's 1800-metre feature.Caulfield trainer Robert Smerdon rated Marveen, who won her previous two starts in Melbourne before heading north, as a real tradesm

Mighty midget Marveen staked a serious claim for the Group One Queensland Oaks later this month with a gutsy win in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet.

Marveen, ridden by Blake Shinn, had to overcome a wide barrier and ground out a neck win over New Zealand filly La Etoile with AJC Oaks placegetter Miss Darcey a further length away third in Saturday's 1800-metre feature.

Caulfield trainer Robert Smerdon rated Marveen, who won her previous two starts in Melbourne before heading north, as a real tradesman.

The daughter of Orientate is due to be sold at the Magic Millions broodmare sale on the Gold Coast in June.

"She's definitely going through the sale," Smerdon said.

"Her owners are only hobby breeders and they think she's too valuable to race.

"The owners have still got Marveen's mother and they're still breeding from her."

Marveen vindicated Smerdon's decision to start her in the Gold Coast Bracelet.

"She was entered for Caulfield today but it was always our intention to run her here," he said.

"We had a few issues trying to get a flight for her earlier this week. She was booked on a flight on Tuesday but it was cancelled and she only arrived here yesterday."

Smerdon said Marveen's wide barrier caused some concern but he left tactics to Shinn.

"At the end of the day the barrier wasn't a disadvantage and we let Blake decide how best to ride her," he said.

Smerdon is part of the Aquanita stable of trainers and Marveen is part-owned by Aquanita Racing chairman, Peter Howell.

"It was a tradesman-like win and today was her big test," Smerdon said.

"She'll push on now to the Doomben Roses and then the Queensland Oaks.

"She's always been a strong filly and gets to the line well but she's not very big and only weighs 412 kilos."

Kiwi trainer Roger James was delighted with the finishing effort from La Etoile but he would not guarantee she would run in the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm on May 30.

"It was a nice run and she had to do some hard work early," James said.

"She'll run in the Doomben Roses in a fortnight but I'm not sure about the Oaks.

"She'll either run in the Oaks or I may start her in the Queensland Guineas."

The Group Two Queensland Guineas (1600m) will be run at Eagle Farm on June 6.