More Caulfield success for Flamin’ Romans

[Wandering Eyes]

Well-related gelding Flamin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines) collected his second win from only four starts at Caulfield when he took out Saturday’s A$80,000 Sportsbet BlackBook Handicap (2000m).

Previously a winner over the same distance and in the same Benchmark 78 grade at the Melbourne track last October, the five-year-old put in a repeat performance on Saturday.

The Ciaron Maher-trained Flamin’ Romans was third-up in a new campaign, having resumed with a seventh over 1500m at Sandown in May before a last-start second in a 2000m race at Mornington on June 9. On Saturday he was right back in peak form.

Flamin’ Romans broke sharply from the starting gates and took up a handy position in behind Nation’s Call (Frankel), I Am The Empire (Camelot) and Make It Sweet (Fiorente).

Jockey John Allen got Flamin’ Romans rolling as the field made their way down the side of the track. He briefly appeared to be labouring coming around the turn, but then he regathered his momentum after straightening for home. The five-year-old gelding lengthened stride and surged to the front in the final 150m, going on to win by a length and a quarter.

A full-brother to his Group One-winning stablemate Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines), Flamin’ Romans has now had 17 starts for five wins, seven placings and A$255,740 in stakes.

“The race didn’t pan out too badly for us today,” Allen said. “We found a good position. They kind of slowed it up down the side. We were able to get to the outside and get rolling.

“He takes a bit of cajoling, he was off the bridle on the corner, but once we straightened up and got balanced up, he found plenty for me and was good and strong. He went into overdrive and pulled away.

“He’s a younger brother to Smokin’ Romans. Like him, he seems to be improving with a bit of age. I’m not sure he’ll get to the level his brother did, but he’ll win plenty of races for his owners anyhow.”

Flamin’ Romans was bred by White Robe Lodge’s Brian and Lorraine Anderton and is by the stud’s successful sire Ghibellines. The dam of Flamin’ Romans is the Yamanin Vital mare Inferno (NZ), who herself won 10 races including two editions of the Gr.2 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m).

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