Racing: Early Tararua interest in Melbourne Cup

Smokin' Romans at the Melbourne Cup in Flemington. Photo / George Sal via Getty Images

Tararua could again have an interest in the Melbourne Cup this year with the nomination of 2022 contender Smokin’ Romans for the November 7 race billed as the biggest horse race in the Southern Hemisphere.

Smokin’ Romans, part-owned by Steve Prenter, of Dannevirke, trained in Australia - and came seventh in the Cup last year when racing over 3200 metres for the first time - was among 132 listed when nominations (costing A$1500 each) were released on Tuesday.

Late nominations, costing A$5500 can be made up to next Tuesday, handicaps are declared not later than September 19, first declarations (the option of going ahead) are due on October 3 at a cost of a further A$2000, second declarations are due a fortnight later costing A$3000), third declarations are due on October 30 costing A$4000, and final declarations, costing A$49,500, are due on November 4, when the field of 24 will be announced.

The winner of over $1.7 million in stakes, with nine wins and six second placings in 29 starts, Smokin’ Romans is one of 17 horses nominated by the stables of trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, based at Cranbourne, Vic.

Although it hasn’t won since the 2000 metres Turnbull Stakes on cup-track Flemington on October 1 last year, Smokin’ Romans is on the radar of some Australian tipsters.

The nominations are headlined by 2022 winner Gold Trip, but bookmakers have installed enigmatic Irish galloper Vauban as the initial post-nominations favourite, despite an unusual formline.

The 5-year-old has had just 14 starts, having won twice on the flat in France in 2021, but having eight races over hurdles, before returning to flat-racing for a win at Royal Ascot in England in June and then the Ballyroan Stakes in Ireland last month.

Vauban was being quoted in early Ladbrokes markets at $8 to win the cup, Absurde, which became the first to win automatic right to a cup start with victory in the Ebor Handicap in England on June 26, is quoted at $21, Gold Trip is at $31, and Smokin’ Romans is at $51.

Another at $31 is Sharp ‘n’ Smart, which starts its preparation in the 1400-metres Tarzino Trophy race at Hastings on Saturday, and the most-favoured New Zealand-bred is Goldman, which won twice in four starts in New Zealand last year before heading to Australia where it won three-in-a-row in February-March. It is quoted at $11 to win in the early market.

Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 50 years of journalism experience in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.