After the dominant performance of Graeme Rogerson’s impressive New Zealand filly Scarlett Lady at Doomben last Saturday, there is a genuine chance of a Kiwi whitewash in next month’s Queensland Oaks.
Coming off four successive wins back home in NZ, Savabeel filly Scarlett Lady cemented her favouritism to win the $400,000 Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm next month with a gallant three-quarter length victory over Savannah’s Choice in the Group 3 The Roses (2020m) on Doomben Cup Day.
Scarlett Lady now boasts an excellent record of five wins and two seconds from nine starts and is the raging $3.40 favourite in the current Queensland Oaks odds.
Prior to Saturday, the Peter Snowden-trained Divorces was at the top of the Oaks markets.
Divorces, however, was the beaten $2.40 The Roses favourite and could only manage to finish a length away third to Scarlett Lady and as such has drifted out to $6.
The Roses victory by Scarlett Lady was an eye-catching one, especially considering she clocked similar sensational sectionals and an overall finish time of Doomben Cup winner Scenic Shot.
Scarlett Lady recorded a time of 2:04.05 with the last 600m of her The Roses win done in 0:34.94 while Scenic Shot ran and won Saturday’s Group 1 Doomben Cup (2020m) in 2:03.07, the final 600m of his run done in 0:34.62.
It is now going to take a very good filly to overcome the Kiwi in the Oaks, but the field is sure to boast plenty of depth with other top chances including Heidilicious, Fibrillation, Fillydelphia and fellow New Zealand-trained filly Shez Sinsational.
History is also on the side of the favourite with New Zealand trainers having won five of the past 11 Queensland Oaks.
Punters are now eagerly backing Scarlett Lady in the hopes she will emulate the great New Zealand filly Ethereal.
In 2001 Sheila Laxon’s Rhythm mare Ethereal travelled to Brisbane and scored victory in The Roses before going on to wins that year’s Queensland Oaks and then the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double in the spring.
For The Roses, Scarlett Lady was ridden by gun Kiwi jockey James McDonald who travelled over for the ride, the 19-year-old having been aboard for her four previous race wins.
“This filly is awesome,” McDonald raved.
“I haven’t been beaten on her in New Zealand and to come here and do it against these good fillies is very exciting.
“There is no problem at all with her getting (the 2400m of the Oaks), every time we go around it takes me to the back straight to pull her up; she’s very exciting.
“She’ll be even better when she steps up to the Oaks distance.
“I was confident she could win the Oaks before this race (The Roses) and my confidence has grown even more now.”
