Graeme Rogerson doesn’t have just one leading lady at Eagle Farm’s Queensland Oaks Day meeting today, the top New Zealand-based trainer tipping a good showing from both of his Savabeel fillies.
While there has been plenty of attention on Scarlett Lady ahead of her run in today’s headline race, the $400,000 Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m), stablemate and fellow daughter of Cox Plate winner Savabeel, Dowager Queen is not without her claims.
Scarlett Lady stormed to the top of the Queensland Oaks odds after she extended her winning streak to five straight across two countries winning her Australian race debut in the Group 3 The Roses (2020m) at Doomben last-start.
She is now ready to step up to Group 1 company and after drawing barrier nine for today’s Oaks, is the clear $3.50 favourite.
“I’m really happy with her,” Rogerson said of Scarlett Lady.
“Since she has been stepping up over ground, she has been running the trips out good.
“I’ve got no worries with the distance.”
While her famous father Savabeel was a champion and known track larrikin, Rogerson said Scarlett Lady had a far calmer temperament.
“Savabeel was a great horse,” he said.
“He might have been a better horse gelded, but he wouldn’t have been a stallion.
“We had to put up with him, he was a real boy, but he had some ability.
“Scarlett Lady is not like him at all.
“She has the best, most laid-back, beautiful temperament.
“She does everything you ask of her.”
Rogerson also holds high hopes that Dowager Queen can salute and give him an Eagle Farm double today, the two-year-old ready to take her place in the $250,000 Group 2 BRC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m).
Coming off back-to-back black type wins back home, the progressive Dowager Queen is also a Group 1 placegetter in New Zealand having recently run third to Anabandana in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) in April.
“She’s a runner,” Rogerson stated.
“Her mission is the mile, which she has won over, and she’s a good little racehorse.
“She beat the older mares (last start in the Windsor Park Stud Rotorua Stakes over 1400m on May 7), admittedly she only had 46kg, but she got up on the speed and showed some dash.
“I think she’s a pretty hand horse.”
With the Peter Snowden-trained duo of Benfica ($3.30) and Free Wheeling ($4.20) dominating BRC Sires odds, both coming off Listed wins and drawn ideally in barriers four and five respectively, Dowager Queen is rated an $8 chance to claim an upset from barrier nine.
“Peter Snowden’s horses – he has won every Group 1 two-year-old race this season – will be interesting, but I think she’s a genuine chance,” Rogerson said.
Like Snowden’s runners, Dowager Queen is also targeting next Saturday’s $500,000 Group 1 The TJ Smith over the mile at Eagle Farm on Stradbroke Handicap Day.
“We’re here for the TJ Smith,” Rogerson said.
“She had to have a stepping stone, it’s just a pity the Sires is a week before the TJ.
“But they’re all in the same boat.”
