Roman might be eight years old, but he has wound back the years in what has been a consistent 2022, according to trainer Paul Jones.
It is why he is confident of a strong performance in the $65,000 Nowra Cup over a mile on Sunday.
Roman’s last start was a competitive third in the Queanbeyan Cup over 2000m on November 20.
He has also picked up Tom Patton Cup – Heat of the Wagga Stayer Series (February 19) and Murrumbidgee Cup Open Heat of the Stayer Series (April 24) victories this year.
He has certainly come a long way since he was sent down to Vincent Nolen in 2019, winning his first start in a $23,000 Maiden Plate over 1100m at Wodonga on March 30 of that year.
Jones believes Roman is now free of the mental shackles which plagued him after finally getting a start almost four years ago.
“He’s a horse who’s always had joint issues, but it’s more his mentality,” the Canberra conditioner told HorseBetting.com.au.
“He’s been a bit of a barrier rogue. So we sent him down to the Nolen boys in Victoria.
“He had several goes trying to get past the barrier trials, but he’s such a bad horse at the gates.
“Simon Miller riding trackwork for us at the time actually suggested it.
“They did really good and they got him through a barrier trial in Victoria.
“They said he was going really good and he won his first race down there.”
But Roman would not start his second race until May 22, 2020, running fifth in a Class 1 Handicap over 1200m at Canberra.
“When he came back he had to have a chip in his fetlock removed,” Jones said.
“That kept him off the scene for a little bit. Then he came back and his barrier manners weren’t perfect. Getting out of the enclosure was not so good.
“But we’ve got it down-pat now. The stewards work with us. He just goes straight onto the track, and once he’s on the track he’s safe and sound.
“That’s probably why it’s taken so long for the horse to develop.
“But he’s a lovely horse to ride.”
Jones also believes Roman has embraced his surroundings at the Joseph-Jones operation’s Sapphire Coast stables, Paul sharing training duties with his legendary mother Barbara Joseph and brother Matt.
The laidback Sapphire Coast environment is another reason why Roman now has a more relaxed demeanour.
“In Canberra, he used to get too hyped up in the busy trackwork environment,” he said.
“He just relaxes at the Sapphire Coast facility. He really enjoys it down there.
“He’s a very picky eater. But all of a sudden he liked the lifestyle down there and he started eating better.
“That’s probably why he’s become a better handicap and Cup horse.
“He’s also very well bred. He’s a half (brother) to Mercurial Lad who’s been one of our stable stars.”
Jones said Roman got through his Queanbeyan Cup effort in good shape, adding the Nowra venue would suit his veteran eight-year-old on Sunday.
“I thought it was a really good effort to run third in the Queanbeyan Cup,” he said.
“I feel his best distance is probably a mile to 1800m.
“Nowra is a track with a bit of give in it, and he likes the track in the 5-7 range with some give in it.
“I thought it was a really good effort to run third in the Queanbeyan Cup. He’s really good and has come through the run well.
“He drew wide (for the Queanbeyan Cup) and he has to find cover.
“Unfortunately, with the wide gate he had to go back to last to find cover.”
Meanwhile, She’s All In has drawn barrier six for the $75,000 Mudgee Cup over a mile on Friday.
The seven-year-old mare won the $20,000 Adaminaby Cup over 1400m by almost 4 ½ lengths at Sapphire Coast last start on November 19.
“She’s All In set a track record winning the Adaminaby Cup on the Sapphire Coast,” Jones said.
“We were going to go to the Cooma Cup with her, but I think she’s just going too good.
“It’ll give us a two-pronged (Mudgee Cup-Nowra Cup) attack.”
She’s All In has had a seven-race preparation which started with a fourth place in the South Coast Clubs Cup over 1415m at Moruya on August 14.
But Jones has been happy with her progress, his 43-race veteran finishing third-last in the $500,000 Little Dance at Randwick on November 1.
“She’s been up for a while and she’s really well,” he said.
Jones was thinking of nominating Manderboss in the Nowra Cup after his second to Tamerlane in a $150,000 Benchmark 78 Handicap at Kembla Grange on November 19.
Instead, he will start in the Merry Christmas Members Handicap for three and four-year-olds over 1500m at Rosehill on Saturday.
In a race worth $150,000, the Canberra conditioner has obviously made the right call.
“We just thought going into a Handicap running around in a $65,000 race against a horse like Bethencourt (100 Handicap rating for Kim Waugh), he’ll probably get penalised too many points for very little money,” he said.
“So we thought we’d just go through the grades first, and then we’d attempt maybe the Bega Cup (on January 29 next year).
“And two weeks after the Bega Cup is the Country Championships.
“We’ll get through this Saturday with the three and four-year-old race over 1500m.
“Hopefully he’ll run well, then we can freshen him up and give him a run leading into the Bega Cup.
“Hopefully he’ll win the Bega Cup and that’ll set up a Big Dance qualifier.”
Jones believes Manderboss is set for a bright future.
“Manderboss I think is our most up-and-coming horse,” he said.
“His tenacity at the line (is impressive). Not many horses can get past him.
“He’s really got that will to win and he pins his ears back.”
Super Helpful suffered a cut to his fetlock and as a result finished last in a Benchmark 78 Handicap over 1200m at Kembla Grange on November 19.
Jones subsequently made the call to spell him for four weeks.
Super Helpful won the $100,000 Snake Gully Cup at Gundagai in his previous start on November 11.
“He’s gone to the paddock for a month,” Jones said.
“With his cut and where he was in his preparation, I just thought it was time to give him a month off.
“We’ll bring him back maybe for the National Sprint in Canberra (on March 12 next year).
“Super Helpful has exceeded all our expectations. We knew he was a nice, fast horse.”
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