Trainer Ciaron Maher would not be surprised if Smokin’ Romans was fighting out the finish of the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield.
Smokin’ Romans maybe getting on in years, but trainer Ciaron Maher has been buoyed by the gelding’s recent performance and is giving the ‘old boy’ another crack at a Group 1 contest.
The Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday will see Smokin’ Romans line up with stablemates Zardozi and Middle Earth in a bid to wind back the clock.
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At this meeting in 2022, Smokin’ Romans won the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) before going on to claim the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington two weeks later.
Smokin’ Romans then went on to start favourite when seventh in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) before running seventh to stablemate Gold Trip in that year’s Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
Now a nine-year-old, Smokin’ Romans has 55.5kg in this year’s Caulfield Cup and 53.5kg in the Melbourne Cup and Maher said the gelding was on a path back to Caulfield.
Smokin’ Romans has been a good money spinner for connections and the Maher stable, collecting 11 wins from 50 starts and almost $2.4 million in prize money.
He was unlucky not to have banked win number 12 at his last start when run down late by Revelare over 2000m at Caulfield on August 30 with Revelare going on the claim the Group 3 Archer Stakes (2500m) at Flemington last week and book a berth in the Melbourne Cup.
“He’s in a really good spot, Smokey,” Maher said.
“His form is good, and he carried a lot more weight than Revelare last time and Revelare has franked that form.
“He’s tracking along well, and I thought we could go back to the 1800 metres and he’s on track for the Caulfield Cup as well.”
The Maher stable regards Middle Earth as one of their top seeds for the Cups and was pleased with his performance behind Revelare at Caulfield on August 30, his first outing since an autumn campaign, his first in Australia.
Middle Earth has 56.5kg in the Caulfield Cup and 54.5kg in the Melbourne Cup.
Maher took advantage of taking Middle Earth to Caulfield on Tuesday for another gallop at the track but concedes Saturday’s trip may be too short.
“He’s ticking along the right way,” Maher said.
“He hit the line well first-up and he’ll strip fitter, but the 1800 metres is probably short of his best.”
Maher was taken with the first-up run of recent stable acquisition Zardozi.
The Godolphin-owned mare who was trained by James Cummings, had her first run for Maher when a closing fifth in the So You Think Stakes (1500m) at Moonee Valley on September 6.
“She’s come through her first-up run really well,” Maher said.
“She’s a clean-winded mare that hit the line nicely first-up. She’s coming along nicely and seems in a good spot for Saturday’s race.”
- With RAS NewsWire
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