Trainer Ciaron Maher wins his first Warrnambool Cup
Ciaron Maher finally ticked off a major flat race at the Warrnambool Carnival, with Smokin’ Romans claiming the Listed Warrnambool Cup in a brave front-running effort.
Despite a decorated jumps record including seven Grand Annual Steeplechase wins, Maher had yet to win one of the Carnival’s premier flat events — the Cup or the Wangoom Handicap — until now.
Smokin’ Romans, sent out at $9 and partnered by Ben Melham, made all the running and just lasted to beat Torranzino ($12) in Thursday’s 2350m feature.
Maher, a Warrnambool local, had three contenders in the race, with Ziryab finishing third and Strawberry Rock taking fifth place behind the stable star.
“I thought we had a pretty good chance here today. I’m absolutely rapt,” Maher told racing.com.
“He’s been such a great horse. To win a Group 1 and then carry a topweight like that.
“What a fantastic ride from Ben. He understands this horse really well.”
While it was Maher’s first Warrnambool Cup win, Melham had previously taken out the race in 2010 aboard Hissing Sid and once again showed his class.
Drawing barrier one, Melham hugged the rail and never gave up the lead.
“The track has had a lot of traffic, and I thought I would stay hard on the rail,” Melham said.
“I wanted to lead on him because of the big weight, and I didn’t want to be stop-starting on him.
“He had to do a bit of work going out of the straight and it was only the weight (59kg) late that brought him back over the line.
“He is a Group 1 winner, who has a bit of class, but he can mix his form a little bit, but he does seem to go well for me.”
Melham and Smokin’ Romans had already tasted success together in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) during the Melbourne Cup Carnival and also combined to run second in the Group 2 Sandown Classic (2400m) at Caulfield.
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