ROMANS NOT SMOKIN' HOT BUT MAHER OPTIMISTIC IN G1

Champion trainer believes veteran 9YO can fight it out at Caulfield’s Underwood Stakes

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Smokin’ Romans may be getting on in years, but champion trainer Ciaron Maher has been buoyed by the chestnut gelding’s recent performance, and he is giving the ‘old boy’ another crack at a Group 1 contest.

The A$1 million (S$852,000) Underwood Stakes (1,800m) at Caulfield on Sept 20 will see Smokin’ Romans line up with stablemates Zardozi and Middle Earth in a bid to wind back the clock.

At this meeting in 2022, Smokin’ Romans won the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2,000m) before going on to claim the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2,000m) at Flemington two weeks later.

The son of Ghibellines then went on to start as favourite when seventh in the 2022 Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2,400m), before running seventh to stablemate Gold Trip in the 2022 Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3,200m) at Flemington.

Now a nine-year-old, Smokin’ Romans will carry 55.5kg in the 2025 Caulfield Cup on Oct 18, and 53.5kg in the Melbourne Cup on Nov 4.