Group One winner Smokin’ Romans will aim to extend his breeder Brian Anderton’s successful run in the Gr.1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) when he takes his place in the iconic Flemington feature on Tuesday afternoon.
Anderton established the Mosgiel thoroughbred nursery White Robe Lodge in 1956, which has stood a number of champion sires over the years including Mellay and Noble Bijou. It was a Noble Bijou mare Joyarty that produced the 1989 Melbourne Cup winner in Tawrrific, a son of Tawfiq, who also stood at the farm.
White Robe played a role in an all-Otago victory in the 1970 running, with winner Baghdad Note born on the farm, then raced by his breeder, Dunedin businessman Stuart Falconer. The grey gelding was prepared by Wingatui trainer Bob Heasley and ridden by local hoop Midge Didham.
Anderton is looking forward to watching another edition of the famed race, worth A$10 million in its 165th running.
“It’s the race of the century in this part of the world,” Anderton said.
“Tawriffic was reared on the farm and Baghdad Note was born here and they both got the job done, and we bred Whoshot The Barman (third in 2014 behind Protectionist) and sold him out of the paddock as well.
“The Phantom was a Noble Bijou and he ran second (in 1990 behind Kingston Rule), so we’ve had a bit of success.”
Smokin’ Romans was bred, reared and sold through White Robe, a true product of the farm as a son of their resident sire Ghibellines and the Yamanin Vital mare Inferno, who included two Gr.3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) victories in her 10-win haul.
As a yearling, Smokin’ Romans was purchased out of the Karaka Book 1 sale in 2018 for $52,500, and in a 53-start career, the nine-year-old has won nearly A$2.4 million in earnings with 11 wins and 12 minor placings.
Trained for much of his career by Ciaron Maher and former training partner David Eustace, Smokin’ Romans won the 2022 edition of the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m), and went on to finish seventh in the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Melbourne Cup.
The gelding was out of the winner’s circle for some time through the next couple of seasons but broke that streak in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) during Melbourne Cup Week last year.
12 months down the track and a win in the Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m) in May under his belt, Smokin’ Romans is back in the big dance on the first Tuesday in November.
“It’s probably going to be a bit tough for him, he’s a nine-year-old now, but I won the New Zealand Cup with Watallan when he was a 10-year-old so I hope the old fella can run a good race,” Anderton said.
“We’ve taken a lot of pleasure out of watching him over the last few years, he’s given us a whole lot of thrills. They may be a little bit too good for him now, but you never know in a race like this.”
Smokin’ Romans will be ridden by regular rider Ben Melham out of barrier 11, carrying 53.5kg. He will sport the blue and black colours of Kiwi owner Don Frampton. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
