Far from discouraged by Hot Danish's two placings this campaign, trainer Les Bridge believes the mare will still be a force this autumn.Sydney's pin-up horse started favourite when third in the Expressway Stakes and was again the punters' elect when runner-up to Melito in the Apollo Stakes.While most of the Apollo Stakes field will head to the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes on Saturday, Hot Danish will be held over for another two weeks for the Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill."I'm going

Far from discouraged by Hot Danish's two placings this campaign, trainer Les Bridge believes the mare will still be a force this autumn.

Sydney's pin-up horse started favourite when third in the Expressway Stakes and was again the punters' elect when runner-up to Melito in the Apollo Stakes.

While most of the Apollo Stakes field will head to the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes on Saturday, Hot Danish will be held over for another two weeks for the Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill.

"I'm going to give her a barrier trial at Randwick on Friday and then run her in the Canterbury Stakes on the 19th," Bridge said.

"She won that race last year and with a couple of runs under her belt I think she can again.

"I think it is just taking her a bit longer now that she's getting older to get race fit.

"She was very fat when she came back to racing but she still went very well.

"I'm never disappointed in her and I don't think anyone could be.

"In the Apollo she beat every horse that was in the Expressway and it was just the new horse on the scene that beat her.

"And Melito is a pretty good horse."

Now a seven-year-old, Hot Danish finally shed her Group One bridesmaid tag last season when she claimed the All-Aged Stakes from Melito after the filly had beaten her in the TJ Smith Stakes.

Hot Danish went on to win the Doomben 10,000 from Whobegotyou and Melito at the Brisbane winter carnival.

After the Expressway, Bridge voiced the thought that perhaps the mare had come to the end of her career.

But her enthusiasm remains as does that of her owners and Bridge is satisfied she can still perform at the highest level.

Bridge has yet to decide whether Hot Danish will step up to 1600 metres again this autumn or extended only to the 1400 metres of the All-Aged.

She has won two races over the longer distance but both were when she was a three-year-old.