Karaka Millions is the goal for green colt

[Wandering Eyes]

A tilt at the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie in January is on the cards for promising juvenile Romanoff(NZ) (Belardo) following his maiden victory in the Uza Bus Two-Year-Old (1100m) at Otaki on Thursday.

The son of Belardo showed plenty of inexperience on debut at Te Rapa earlier this month when over-racing during the middle stages and fading to finish last in the seven-horse field, and on Thursday he showed he still has plenty to learn despite posting his maiden victory.

He jumped well for jockey Michael McNab and raced outside pacemaker Hello My Dear for the majority of the journey until he was asked to improve at the turn and he quickly shot clear of his rivals.

Romanoff looked to be a comfortable victor, however, he almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when running out in the final 50m, but despite his late indiscretion he was still able to win by a length over Curzon Park.

McNab had been warned prior to the race about the colt’s quirks, and he didn’t disappoint.

“He was explained to me as cheeky,” McNab said. “When they were pushing me to ride him, I had two phone calls and three people talked to me about him.

“He was perfect until the last bit. Although he was doing a little bit (wrong) the whole way up the straight, he was still going forward alright, and I didn’t expect him to stop and duck (out) like that. But well done to the team.”

Romanoff has proven to be Jekyll and Hyde in nature as a younger horse, but trainer Pam Gerard expects him to mellow as he matures, and she believes he is an exciting colt with plenty of upside.

“He departed company from the rider a couple of times at the trials, but in saying that his behaviour is generally very good,” she said.

“He’s a very quiet colt, but at the moment as a young and inexperienced horse he just has a switch where he randomly surprises you with something he does.

“Watching the race, he was left in front way too early because he then has the chance to gawk around.

“He has always shown a huge amount of ability and amazingly enough he just keeps copping the campaign despite having done some unnecessary extra work at the trials.

“He’s just natural at the moment and we have no extra gear on him, but there are plenty of things to help if required.

“We thought the overnight trip away to Otaki might be just what he needs, and now he’s won, so mission accomplished. We’ll just see how he does when he comes home before making any immediate plans, but it helps to get some prizemoney if we go towards the Karaka Million.”

Gerard was rapt for his group of owners, particularly Hugh Fletcher, who was celebrating his birthday trackside at Otaki.

“We’ve got lots of good owners in him and they’ve been patient,” she said. “You don’t find many two-year-olds that can take as much as what we’ve chucked at him and he just keeps going away and eating up.

“It’s Hugh’s (Fletcher) birthday today and he went down for the race, so it was a great outcome.”

Bred by Marie Leicester out of stake-producing mare Tsarina Belle, Romanoff was purchased by Ballymore Stables, in partnership with bloodstock agents Paul Moroney and Catheryne Bruggeman, out of Haunui Farm’s 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $75,000.

“He was very strong, athletic, and a beautifully balanced colt when Mike (Moroney) bought him at the sales,” Gerard said.

“It’s a super, super, family, he had a great walk on him, was a real two-year-old type, and bought for a pretty realistic price. Paul (Moroney) buys a type, that’s what they’re looking for and they found what they wanted in this colt.”

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