Champion jockey James Mcdonald had no issue collecting five winners at Randwick on Saturday, but he felt almost guilty about his midweek victory aboard Roots at Canterbury.
Sent around a $1.45 favourite, the mare lived up to her short quote, easily chasing down Starstruck Barbie despite that horse skipping to a handy lead at the top of the straight.
Such was the speed of the winner’s finishing sprint, Roots took out the 1550m race by 1-1/4 lengths over Starstruck Barbie ($21) and McDonald said she was simply in a different league.
“She’s got a tremendous turn of foot and it feels like you’re stealing races when you’re riding these sorts of horses in Wednesday class races because she is definitely Group class,” McDonald said.
Listed placed behind stablemate and subsequent Group 1 winner Fangirl as a spring three-year-old, Roots struggled to recapture that form on heavy tracks during the Sydney autumn carnival.
Trainer Chris Waller has been happy to rebuild her confidence at the midweek meetings this campaign, with Roots posting a first-up win at Warwick Farm last month before backing it up with Wednesday’s performance.
Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth signalled the four-year-old had earned her way back into black-type company and nominated the Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m) at Randwick as the aim.
“Having a chat to Chris, it looks like this will be a nice lead-up into the Angst (Stakes) on the eighth (of October), which is obviously a fillies and mares’ race,” Duckworth said.
“(She will be) racing against her own sex, which will suit her nicely, and over the mile journey and onto a bigger track will only play to her strengths.”
Roots holds a nomination for the Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on October 29, as does Group 2 placegetter Loch Eagle, who resumed with a similarly breathtaking performance to win the final race at Canterbury.
Lumping 59kg after the three-kilo claim of apprentice Dylan Gibbons, the Kris Lees-trained four-year-old unleashed a withering run down the outside to swamp his rivals.
“He was probably aided by a good tempo up front but he was really strong late, which is what we wanted to see,” Lees said.
“He’s got a bit of class about him, he is a genuine stakes horse and I think he will make his presence felt during the spring.”
Lees confirmed the Gunsynd Classic placegetter would have his next start in the $1 million Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick on October 8.