Successful WS – Danny O’Brien Combination Continues

Scarlett Lady claimed outright favouritism for the Gr 1 Queensland Oaks with a dazzling display to win at her Australian debut on Saturday. The WS-bred and sold daughter of resident stallion Savabeel produced a devastating finish to land the Gr 3 Doomben Roses under a superb ride from champion jockey James McDonald.

The filly has been in unstoppable form this preparation and left for the Brisbane carnival with four straight wins to her credit, including the Listed Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes and a defeat of the older horses in the Gr 2 Travis Stakes. She is now the top market fancy at $A3.50 for Oaks honours.

A little tardy from the barrier, Scarlett Lady settled midfield on the fence and McDonald was able to ease her off the rail with 600 metres to run. He angled her across the runners to get to the outside on straightening and she showed her trademark turn of foot to sail past her rivals and score by a comfortable three-quarters of a length.

“She’ll be even better when she steps up to the Oaks distance,” McDonald told the Daily Telegraph.. “She travelled so well for me during the run and I was never in doubt. I was confident she could win the Oaks before this race and my confidence has grown even more now.”

Debbie Rogerson, who prepares the star filly with husband Graeme, had a sense of both satisfaction and relief after the race. “It took us 24 hours to get here, we only got here on Wednesday; she had done all her work at home and she galloped exceptionally in New Zealand on Monday so we were pretty confident.”

Raced by the Australian-based Max Whitby, Scarlett Lady was bought out out of WS’s Premier Sale draft at Karaka for $25,000 in 2009. She is out of the stakes-winning mare On Call from the family of the Gr 3 Lowland Stakes winner Gentle Call and her siblings Tough Call and Call Spades who each posted wins in the Listed Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes.