Roman shines with four-timer at the track

RADDESH Roman broke his silence with a spanking four-timer yesterday, responding to leader Tevin Foster’s similar feat, which had sent him four clear in their battle atop the jockeys’ standings last Saturday.

Starting the afternoon on 105 wins to Foster’s 109, after both rode a winner each on Saturday’s opening day of the three-meet Heroes Weekend carnival, Roman enjoyed double-digit winning margins aboard NOBLE IMPULSE and TIFFANY BLU, easing to 107, scoring victories in the second and fourth events.

Foster responded immediately with a win astride IMMEASURABLE JOY in the fillies-only Titania Trophy for three-year-olds at five and a half furlongs, inching to a three-win advantage.

However, Roman returned to close the nine-race card by landing the late double, first handing Oral Hayden a two-timer by using BAD INVESTMENT to outrun rivals at a mile in the ninth after the first-season trainer had posted ACKNOWLEDGE ME to a runaway win at five furlongs straight in the sixth.

Roman afterwards reduced the deficit to one winner entering today’s meet with a searing finish astride PRESS CONFERENCE, who charged at the finish to nail JOY IS GOLDEN at five furlongs straight in the Nigel B Nunes Memorial.

The Foster-Roman rivalry continues today at 110-109, respectively, with banner-waving fans of the battling riders charged and ready with flags and emblazoned T-shirts in the winners’ enclosure.

Meanwhile, Saqlain Roman’s MACK AND ROME went gate-to-wire in the Royal Dad Trophy co-feature at nine furlongs and 25 yards, running his five rivals off their legs from start to finish.

Sent off at odds of 5-1 with Panamanian Victor Sanchez, MACK AND ROME, who was highly regarded by his connections during this year’s three-year-old classics, showed his preference for route events by winning his third race going two turns this season.

In contrast, favourite RICHES TO RAGS, though a strong finisher in middle-distance races, failed to cope with MACK AND ROME’s sustained pace, finishing a well-beaten fourth.

The Ketch 9 mandatory payout, rocked in the first event by 24-1 stunner DIAMOND ROCK, returned $1.73 million to three winning tickets.

Another million-dollar jackpot awaits punters this afternoon with the Strike 4 mandatory payout starting at $1.45 million in the sixth event.