New stable acquisition Red Shift has shown Roger James enough to suggest he can stake a claim for the Queensland Derby when he makes his Australian debut in the Group Three Grand Prix Stakes at Doomben.Red Shift has started only once for James, finishing fifth over 2000 metres at Te Rapa on April 28.He was transferred to James following his seventh to Silent Achiever in the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie in March."Reg Donnison had him before me and he did a great job with him,"

New stable acquisition Red Shift has shown Roger James enough to suggest he can stake a claim for the Queensland Derby when he makes his Australian debut in the Group Three Grand Prix Stakes at Doomben.

Red Shift has started only once for James, finishing fifth over 2000 metres at Te Rapa on April 28.

He was transferred to James following his seventh to Silent Achiever in the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie in March.

"Reg Donnison had him before me and he did a great job with him," James said.

"But his owner, Trevor Henderson from OTI, asked me to take him two weeks after the Derby so I've only had him for one run.

"There was a tremendous bias to frontrunners at Te Rapa and his run was full of merit."

James initially feared he had made the wrong decision to bring Red Shift across the Tasman for the Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 9.

"He didn't spell well and was still dry looking in the coat when he first arrived here," he said.

"But I don't think I've ever brought a horse to Brisbane that has turned the corner like he has."

Fellow trainer Con Karakatsanis is hoping rain falls in time to boost Reigning's Grand Prix hopes.

Reigning faces the toughest test of his career in Saturday's Grand Prix (2200m) and is coming off a last start seventh over 1800 metres at Rosehill.

"It's the first time I've got him up over 2000 and I'm quite excited to see what he will do because he's the type of horse, the more ground you get him over the better he's going to go," Karakatsanis said.

"The track will play a big part. If he gets a rain-affected track he comes right into calculations."

The trainer said he wasn't disappointed with Reigning's three recent unplaced runs.

"I know he's gone blonk, blonk but they've been runs in preparation for this race and the Derby in two weeks," he said.

"They've been over unsuitable distances where they've sat and sprinted and he's got back.

"He's the type of horse you've got to get over a bit of ground and work him into a race and you can't really do that over a mile and 1800. It will be interesting to see how goes over a bit of ground."