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.
Winner of the lucrative $250,000 Inglis Bracelet last spring, Roots had been Group and Listed placed previously, but had never won a Black Type race until today.
Third and fourth at her first two runs back from a spell, she was cherry ripe for the Emancipation Stakes and produced a career best performance to win by more than a length over the late charging Atishu.
“Realistically this was Roots grand final today and she’s won it!” said Chris Waller who was thrilled to train the trifecta with all three mares doing a fantastic job.
“I get as much of a kick out of these races as I do out of the big ones when it works out like that, Roots becomes a Group II winner and the other two have Group II placings.”
Brenton Avdulla was full of praise for Roots.
“1500m around here was perfect for her. She jumped well and executed really well to find the right spot at the right time and she quickened well like a nice mare,” he said.
Roots was a $52,000 purchase for Yugengaisha Murakami Kinya Bokujo, on the recommendation of Sydney based bloodstock agent Satomi Oka, from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Highway Session.
She has the tidy record of six wins and four placings from 15 starts with prizemoney just shy of $500,000. Roots was bred by Greg Perry and partners and was foaled and raised at Vinery.
She is the best of three winners from 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 and the mare is back in foal again to Exceedance.
Roots is the sixth stakes-winner for Caulfield Guineas winner Press Statement, who was also trained by Chris Waller and stands at Vinery Stud.
