Bunbury trainer Michael Lane has high hopes for The Boss Lady and is eager to see if the talented mare can reach bigger goals in the coming weeks and later at Ascot carnival time.

The Boss Lady took a step closer to Lane’s goals with a solid second-place finish in a Bunbury trial on Monday, marking her first official public outing since a successful breakout campaign at Ascot last year.

Lane is focused on giving The Boss Lady a manageable campaign, with plans to target rich prize money in feature races against quality sprinters.

“First, we’ll go to the Roma Cup, then either The Joey or The Quokka, depending on how she goes,” Lane said, referring to races on the same day. “We have good faith in her and are ready for either option.”

After winning a hat-trick at the 2024 Pinnacles carnival, including the Jungle Dawn Classic (1400m), The Boss Lady is now looking to step up her game.

Lane was pleased with her easy 900m Bunbury trial, where she finished strongly under quiet riding from Chris Parnham. “She’s come up nice and I’m happy with where she’s at,” Lane said. The Roma Cup is set for April 12, followed by the $5 million Quokka and $200,000 Joey.