Shootoff (NZ) Wins the Queensland Derby

Shootoff (NZ) Wins the Queensland Derby

New Zealand continued its assault on leading Australian three-year-old races on the weekend with the Graeme Rogerson trained Shootoff proving too strong in the Group 1 Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2400m).

Rogerson has had a Brisbane Carnival to remember; and Saturday's Derby saw him pick up his second Brisbane Group 1 title in 2011, with last weekend's Group 1 Queensland Oaks taken out by his hugely talented filly, NZB graduate Scarlett Lady (Savabeel).

Saturday's Derby performance by Shootoff (NZ) (Duelled x Athenri) was very impressive. Ridden by Michael Rodd, Shootoff settled a little better than mid-field in transit, with Rodd taking the three-year-old forward at the 700 metres after being forced to race wide from the 1000 metre mark.

Travelling beautifully around the home corner, Shootoff ranged up and hit the front, and with Rodd keeping him honest in the final stages, he held off the fast finishing Shez Sinsational (NZ) (Ekraar) and Heidilicious (NZ) (Zabeel) to win by a neck in a New Zealand bred trifecta.

Shootoff_Qld_Derby copy
Shootoff (centre) holds off Shez Sinsational and Heidilicious to win the Group 1 Queensland Derby in a New Zealand bred trifecta.
Trainer Graeme Rogerson was very impressed with Shootoff's victory, and has a keen eye for the Cups racing in Melbourne later in the year.

"It was a great performance, he's a tough horse. We are going to keep him in Sydney for the weight-for-age races here in the spring, and aim him at the Metropolitan Handicap before sending him to Melbourne."

With Oaks winner Scarlett Lady also being aimed at a Cups campaign, spring is looking to be an exciting time for the stable.

Shootoff is the first Group 1 winner for his young sire Duelled (Redoute's Choice x Leica Pretender). With his oldest progeny now three-years-olds, Duelled is also the sire of the stakes placed Endor.

Rogerson has announced off the back of Shootoff's Group 1 victory that his sire Duelled will remain in New Zealand for stud duties.

"We have been weighing up the options for Duelled and we have decided that he will stay in New Zealand at Dormello Stud, where he will be standing for a fee of $2,500 this season. It is not every day you can send your mare to a Group 1 sire for that price and it will give those people looking to breed a good stayer a wonderful opportunity.

"He has a number of horses of racing age coming through to keep up the momentum, and I think that sending him to Australia under the conditions offered would have been a bad move for the horse, so he is here to stay."

Rogerson, who also has a big association with Savabeel, was very impressed with his latest stakes winner Tullamore on the weekend, and has outlined plans for his two-year-old daughter Dowager Queen who ran a good fourth in the Group 1 TJ Smith (1600m).

"She ran very well on the weekend, she just seems to be looking for a mile-and-a-quarter.

"She is now on her way home for a break and we will be targeting the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series with her, with a trip back to Australia later in the season also a possibility."

Shootoff was bred by Dormello Partnership No.1 Syndicate and was purchased by GR Sydney from Dormello Stud at the 2009 Ready to Run Sale of Two-Year-Olds for $35,000. He has now earned over A$545,000 in stakes.
Tough Tullamore (NZ) Takes the Brisbane Cup

Few would deny the courage Tullamore has shown on the track in his last few outings, and that was greatly rewarded on Saturday with a brilliant performance in the Group 2 Australian Special Metals Brisbane Cup (2400m).

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and ridden by Chris Munce, Tullamore (NZ) (Savabeel x Trocair) flew out of the gates and settled in the gun position, just off the pace in transit. Set alight by Munce at the 700 metres, Tullamore ranged up to race leader Glass Harmonium (Verglas) on the home turn.

Again finding a tough opponent in the straight, the son of Savabeel and the big grey Glass Harmonium were stride for stride, before Tullamore pulled away at the 100 metre mark to record a memorable one-and-a-quarter length victory.

Tullamore is the latest stakes victor for the Cox Plate winner Savabeel who is having an exceptional season, with his daughter Scarlett Lady notching up his first Group 1 win as a sire last weekend in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m).

Boasting a 59% runners to winners ratio, Savabeel is now the sire of nine stakes winners from distances of 1200-2400 metres.

Tullamore was offered by Little Avondale Stud at the 2008 Karaka Select Sale, he has now won five of his 19 starts and over A$330,000 in stakes.

ends

© Scoop Media