TITLE-CHASING RADDESH Roman dominated yesterday’s 10-race card, booting home five winners including 11-1 outsider JUSTIN BIDEN for trainer Lawrence Freemantle in the closing event for the Yvonne Mattis Cup at nine furlongs.

Starting the afternoon 11 winners behind Tevin Foster, Roman reduced the deficit to eight with a decisive ride for a fifth winner in the closer after watching his rival notch back-to-back wins in the fourth and fifth events aboard FLYBLUEJET and TEFLON DON, respectively.

With BABYLIKE floating on the lead down the backstretch in a slow pace being contested by 99-1 outsider ZION, Roman sat third before urging JUSTIN BIDEN past the leaders five furlongs out, cruising into the lane before shaking off challenges from SUNSET SILHOUTTE and rail-running STOMP THE RHYTHM.

Third last time out behind GET A PEPSI and ALL FOR LOVE at six and a half furlongs, JUSTIN BIDEN quickened inside the final furlong, relishing the slow early pace, an opening quarter of 24.3 and half-mile split of 49.0, using race-fitness to turn back STOMP THE RHYTHM, who was second-time-out off a seven-month break.

STOMP THE RHYTHM improved into third off the home turn, quickly slipping into second a furlong and a half out, but appeared dull against a determined JUSTIN BIDEN, full of running for a third win out the backstretch chute, having won at a mile last November and December.

Roman had earlier logged a programme-opening double to kick-start his five-timer, KINGSWOOD and CRIMSON, notching contrasting victories aboard the claimers in seven-furlong events.

KINGSWOOD, a 7-2 chance, made all among $180,000 claimers. Roman afterwards used CRIMSON to chase down TIGRAY EXPRESS, who tried to steal a march at odds of 11-1.

TRAVELLER’S LODGE and BOLD MOVE, 3-5 and 1-5 favourites with Roman in the sixth and eighth events, won easily at five furlongs straight and five and a half furlongs, respectively, before he stunned aboard JUSTIN BIDEN in the nightpan.

Racing continues at the weekend with a Saturday meet, the first of four in a week, including Labour Day, May 23.