Shootoff (NZ) Fires in 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 (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.