Rogerson Planning Assault On Queensland

Scarlett Lady will join trans-Tasman trainer Graeme Rogerson's team being aimed at winter riches in Queensland following her Group Two win in New Zealand on Saturday.

The filly's win in the Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa has her primed for an assault on the Queensland Oaks with Sydney-based Shootoff to attack the Queensland Derby.

Shootoff was an impressive winner of the Group Three Frank Packer Plate on a heavy track at Randwick on April 23 to set up his bid for the Classic.

Scarlett Lady will be one of about six horses Rogerson hopes to have in Brisbane with another of his leading hopes two-year-old Dowager Queen, winner of the Champagne Stakes (1600m) for two-year-olds in Auckland last month.

Rogerson would dearly like Dowager Queen or Scarlett Lady to win a Group One race in Brisbane as both are by Savabeel who has yet to be represented by a Group One winner.

In one of his greatest triumphs, Rogerson trained Savabeel to win the 2004 Cox Plate as a three-year-old and retained a share in the son of Zabeel when he took up stallions duties at Waikato Stud.

Scarlett Lady's win on Saturday was her fourth from seven starts.

She did not win at her first three races and was subsequently found to have a bone chip in a back leg.

"We took out the bone chip and she's gone unbeaten," Rogerson said.

"I think she's an ideal mile and a half Caulfield Cup horse in the spring."

Rogerson says he plans to expand his New Zealand training operation while cutting back on his breeding interests.

The trainer has put 130 horses from his Dormello Stud up for sale at a three-day auction beginning in Auckland on Monday.

"I'm probably going to get bigger in New Zealand. We'll target the better races just like we are doing with this filly (Scarlett Lady)," he said.

Shootoff became the first stakes winner produced by Dormello foundation sire Duelled, runner-up in the 2005 Victoria Derby.

In addition to his two thoroughbred stables in Sydney and Hamilton, 62-year-old Rogerson has a large harness racing operation but that is still a far cry from a decade ago.

"I trained in Sydney, Melbourne, Dubai and New Zealand all at the same time but that does take its toll after a time," he said.

"Now I'm enjoying living in New Zealand and going over to Sydney as required."

Rogerson said he felt some obligation to New Zealand racing where he has topped the trainers' premiership a record 11 times.

"New Zealand racing has served me well," he said.

"I've had plenty out of it and at the moment I think it needs some help."