Canterbury Stakes

Six-year-old mare Hot Danish claimed a remarkable first-up win in the $150, 000 Group 2 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) ahead of an impressive field of weight-for-age stars at Rosehill on Saturday proving she still has what it takes to outrun the toughest.

The Les Bridge-trained Hot Danish started as the $3 favourite and went on to beat home second elect Black Piranha ($3.80) by half a length with Mr Baritone ($31) just a half-neck back for third.

There were only eight horses contesting the 2010 Canterbury Stakes following the scratching of Anthony Cumming’s dual Group 1 winner Turffontein.

It was a promising comeback victory for Hot Danish, who had been out of the racing scene for nearly a year due to a nasty leg injury and equine influenza before a dismal spring campaign in Melbourne.

Stradbroke Handicap winner Black Piranha impressed trainer Con Karakatsanis with their second place on Saturday and will move on to the Group 1 Doncaster Mile next month.

Daughter of Nothin’ Leica Dane, Hot Danish boasts a solid career record of 12 wins from 22 starts for over $1.2million in prizemoney.

Hot Danish will contest a few more sprint events in Sydney before hopefully moving on to the Group 1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 10.

The two headline races at the meeting were the $600, 000 Group 1 Coolmore Classic won by Alverta and the $400, 000 Group 1 Ranvet Stakes where Theseo claimed back-to-back success.

2010 MYER Canterbury Stakes Results