Pakenham Cup favourite Smokin’ Romans has relished a change of scenery

Quirky homebody Smokin’ Romans has surprised Ciaron Maher by how well he has adjusted to a change of routine heading into the Pakenham Cup.

Jamie Kah will ride favourite Smokin' Romans in the Pakenham Cup. Picture: Getty Images

Homebody Smokin’ Romans was taken out of his comfort zone recently and duly thrived despite some initial reservations from Ciaron Maher and David Eustace about the quirky Pakenham Cup favourite.

Smokin’ Romans, a firm $3.40 favourite for Saturday’s $300,000 Listed 2500m feature, was so accustomed and acclimatised to Ballarat the trainers were reluctant to tinker with the in-form stayer’s routine.

But back-to-back seconds – including a narrow defeat in the Group 3 Bendigo Cup last start – deep into the preparation prompted Maher to shuttle the Ghibellines gelding to the stable’s Balnarring base.

“Another hop he probably wins the Bendigo Cup,” Maher said.

“He’s had a phenomenal preparation actually.”

Smokin’ Romans is five weeks and the rare change of scenery between runs.

“If he’s in a routine he seems OK, so we don’t change too much,” Maher said.

“But we thought he was deep in a preparation so good to get him down the beach.

“He’s very fit and seems to be going quite well.”

Smokin’ Romans, who has won six of 17 career starts and finished second on five occasions, like a lot of the equally consistent Maher-Eustace stayers has effectively been in work since February.

Smokin’ Romans (right) running second to Wil John at Caulfield. Picture: Michael Klein

Despite the long but carefully planned campaign the five-year-old gelding, who has finished worse than second only once in the past eight starts – three wins – has thrived under the workload.

“Look at horses like Dr Drill, Smokin’ Romans, Grand Promenade and Tooradin, if you’re a fan of them, they usually hold their form,” Maher said.

“We don’t race them every two weeks but you manage them, we got a few different locations to do that and Smokin Romans was predominantly Ballarat.

“He’s quite a quirky horse so we let him settle there and then we just thought to change him up.

“We did have aspirations to go up to Sydney and that but thought he wouldn‘t handle it because he’s a little bit quirky, so sent him down to our beach place down at Balnarring.

“I think it will help him grow up as a racehorse and a bit of a change deep into a preparation.”

Maher, who co-trains with Eustace, has a stranglehold on the Pakenham Cup with Mankayan a solid second favourite at $4.80 with TAB.

After a run of placings the former international Mankayan broke through to win at Cranbourne last start.

“He’s been in great form without winning (until last start),” Maher said.

“He worked really well Saturday week ago, we have kept him fresh into the race.

“He did even less into the last one, there’s not a lot between them but Smokin a bit more genuine I’d say.”

Team Captain ($4.40), for Ballarat horseman Matt Cumani, is the only other starter in single figures.

Future Score gets green light for Cup

Future Score has been cleared to start in Saturday’s $300,000 Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m), ending a month of conjecture around the import’s awkward gait.

The OTI-owned stayer was contentiously denied a run in the Melbourne Cup last month, with Racing Victoria vets because of his stride and concern with a screw being present in one of the forelegs.

RV was under immense external and internal pressure to ensure a casualty-free Melbourne Cup.

Despite the best efforts of Ballarat trainer Matt Cumani, the stable vet and independent advice RV stood firm on the decision to scratch Future Score.

Future Score, who passed all available diagnostic screening prior to the Melbourne Cup, has now also gone through the standing CT scanner.

“I’m delighted for (the owners),” Cumani said after Future Score was cleared to run at Pakenham.

“It’s been an intense few weeks for them and slightly getting disheartened by the whole process.

“It’s hard for them, I’m sure, they don’t know who to listen to and what it all means, it’s quite confusing and still is quite confusing.

“Hopefully he runs well tomorrow and shows them all that he’s up to it, runs a good race and comes through it well.”

Future Score is a $26 chance with TAB to win the Pakenham Cup, while stablemate Team Captain is rated a $4.40 second elect.

Originally published as Pakenham Cup favourite Smokin’ Romans has relished a change of scenery