Press Statement Mare Roots a Class Above in Hot Danish

Mark Smith - Saturday November 11

A patient ride by Tommy Berry bought out the best in the talented Press Statement mare Roots in Saturday’s $500,000 Group II James Squire Hot Danish Stakes at Rosehill.

Too classy (image Steve Hart)

The Group II ATC Emancipation Stakes heroine stalked the early speed set by Call Di and was coming away to defeat the Frankel mare Call Di by two and three-quarter lengths with the Pins mare Finepoint a neck back in third.

With her second stakes success the Chris Waller-trained mare advances her record to seven three two from 21 starts with earnings of $954,890.

“The addition of blinkers helped,” stable representative Damien Fitton said.

“She was probably a bit lazy in The Invitation and Tommy 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.

“She’s been a model of consistency her whole career and she’s just continuing to progress as she gets older.

Tommy's having a big day (image Steve Hart)

“So, there might be a nice little Group One somewhere for her, but we’ll leave it to Chris. The way she’s working at home and the way she’s racing, there’s no doubt she’s got the ability to do it.”

Roots was a $52,000 purchase for Murakami Kinya Murakami on the recommendation of bloodstock agent Satomi Oka, from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Highway Session.

Murakami sold a controlling interest in the daughter of Press Statement to agent Sheamus Mills, acting for clients Heath Newton and Anthony Roberts after she finished second to Fangirl in the Listed Reginald Allen at her second start.

Roots a $52,000 Inglis Classic yearling

Bred by Greg Perry and partners, Roots is the best of three winners from the Big Brown (USA) mare Arctic Success, a half-sister to Group I STC Golden Slipper winner Polar Success, the dam of stakes-winner Lillemor.

Vinery Stud sold a yearling colt by Exceedance from Arctic Success at Magic Millions this year for $95,000 to Simon Zahra Racing.

Not covered in 2021, Arctic success foaled another Exceedance colt on September 2.

Now in New Zealand, Caulfield Guineas and JJ Atkins Stakes winner Press Statement stands at Novara Park for $6,600. 

Advertisment

Race Result - James Squire Hot Danish Stakes Gr2 1400m

Rosehill Track: Good(4) Time: 1:21.68
1
Roots
- 5m Press Statement (AUS) x Arctic Success (AUS) (Big Brown (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Tommy Berry 57
2
2.7
Call Di
- 4m Frankel (GB) x Samantha Miss (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: N Rawiller 57
3
3.0
Finepoint
- 5m Pins (AUS) x Zarzuela (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Zac Lloyd 57
4
3.8
Royal Merchant
- 4m Merchant Navy (AUS) x Seventhchic (AUS) (Seventh Reason (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: J R Collett 57
5
4.6
Dalchini
- 5m Flying Artie (AUS) x Cinnamon Dove (USA) (Gulch (USA))
Tnr: Lee & Cherie Curtis Rdr: J Ford 57
6
5.7
Mirra View
- 5m More Than Ready (USA) x Mirrasalo (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: C Schofield 57
7
6.6
Russian Conquest
- 4m Russian Revolution (AUS) x My Conquestadory (USA) (Artie Schiller (USA))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: Regan Bayliss 57
More Reading...
Roots Claims Deserved G2 Victory
The $250,000 Group II ATC Emancipation Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday produced a trifecta for Chris Waller trained mares with Press Statement mare Roots too good for her stable mates Atishu and Fine Point.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday November 20
Here is the full list of 39 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
Stakes Potential for Press Statement Mare
Press Statement is one of the quiet achievers on the Vinery Stud roster and he looked in fine order at their farm last weekend with his smart mare Roots headed back to Black Type racing following a stylish first up win at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.