Roots a class above in Hot Danish Stakes
Tommy Berry and Chris Waller have combined with Roots (+210) proving far too classy for the girls on Saturday at Rosehill, careering away with the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes (1400m).
The $500,000 feature was swiftly wrapped up by the now five-year-old mare, as Roots circled the six rivals turning for home to secure a dominant 2.7-length victory, her first since taking out the Group 2 Emancipation (1500m) in March.
She was aided by a sizzling tempo despite the smaller field size, as the Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexious-trained Call Di (+260) rolled along under Nash Rawiller.
Royal Merchant (+210) loomed large on the outside of the leader, while Finepoint (+1200) was allowed to stride forward and make a line of three turning in.
Roots was simply sensational in the end, powering through the line under a stranglehold for Tommy Berry as the Hot Danish was sewn up rather connivingly by the daughter of Press Statement.
2023 Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes Replay – Roots | T: Chris Waller | J: Tommy Berry
Damien Fitton was on course at Rosehill to represent the Chris Waller stable on Saturday afternoon, and put the much-improved effort down to the addition of blinkers suggested by Berry himself.
“The addition of blinkers helped,” said Fitton.
“She was probably a bit lazy in The Invitation and Tommy (Berry) said, ‘whack them on’. He worked her throughout the week and she was exceptional. It was a great ride.
“There was more speed than anticipated on paper but to Tommy’s credit, he held her up and let her use her turn of foot when it counted most.
“Things didn’t go to plan (in the Invitation), simple as that. She lost confidence and didn’t have that finishing dash that she was entitled to give. So with the blinkers back on really helped her today.”
Tommy Berry was keen to maintain his association with Roots and it paid dividends on Saturday and credited the stable for allowing him to stick aboard.
“She was really good first-up,” said Berry.
“I don’t ask Chris (Waller) to stick with too many but I asked if I could stick with her the whole way through.
He said ‘how about we just worry about next start’ and he left me on her there (The Invitation) and she was a little disappointing, a bit lacklustre in the run.
“We toyed with putting the blinkers on her and Chris agreed it would be a great idea. I worked her last Saturday in them and I knew we were ‘game-on’.”