Oaks winner Scarlett Lady made a successful return to the racetrack on Monday when she scored a convincing win at Tauherenikau in New Zealand.
The Queensland Oaks winner was resuming from an enforced lay off after suffering an injury during last year’s Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Scarlett Lady had to spend several months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery to remove bone chips. The injury halted her Spring campaign after she finished eighth in the Group 1 $350,000 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 17.
New Zealand’s top jockey James McDonald bought up his seventh win on Scarlett Lady in taking out the Group 3 Tui Brew Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1600m).
McDonald settled the mare back in the field and bought her with a sustained run from the 700m to score a comfortable half length victory over Outback Girl ridden by Robert Hannam.
Trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson will meet with Scarlett Lady’s Sydney owner this week to work out future plans which could lead her to Singapore for the Group 1 Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji in May.
“It could be that we give her a light campaign and then spell her again before Melbourne in the spring,” Debbie said before Scarlett Lady raced, but will see how she pulls up after the run and report back her owner.
If the Savabeel mare pulls up okay, the Rogersons likely plan is to start her next in the Group 1 New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie on March 10 during the Auckland Cup Carnival before travelling to Sydney for the end of the Autumn Carnival.
Scarlett Lady gained the attention of Australian racegoers when she arrived in Brisbane with winning New Zealand form before taking out the Group 3 The Roses (2020m) at Doomben in May.
She then went on to take out the 2400m Group 1 Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm in devastating style to cap off a tremendous Winter Carnival.
With that Oaks win under her belt, Scarlett Lady arrived in Melbourne for the Spring ready to take on the Caulfield And Melbourne Cups, but those thoughts were cut short when she pulled up sore after the Underwood Stakes and required surgery and a long spell.
