Ghibellines still unbeaten in Australia

By Jonny Turner

 

Smokin' Romans' sensational Victorian debut continued White Robe Lodge sire Ghibellines' unbeaten run in Australia.

Smokin' Romans (Ghibellines - Inferno - Yamanin Vital) made his rivals look like they were running on quicksand, rather than the Ballarat synthetic track, when bolting in over 1500m by almost four lengths in his debut for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.

The 3yr-old continued his sire's perfect record in Australia with Ghibellines having produced three winners from three starters across the Tasman.

From White Robe Lodge's 10-race winning Yamanin Vital mare, Inferno, Smokin' Romans was part of the stud's draft at the 2018 National Yearling Sales at Karaka.

The chestnut was knocked down to former Victorian trainer Darren Weir.

Weir trained the horse before he moved to Maher and Eustace's stable, where he continued their excellent record with White Robe Lodge bred progeny.

Studmaster, Wayne Stewart, described Smokin' Romans as an athletic yearling.

"He was a lovely horse and very athletic."

He looked like he would make a good stayer, so he should keep getting better over more ground."

Ears The Barman (Ghibellines - Ears Carol - Carolingian) , was  the lastest of Ghibellines' Australian winners before Smokin's Roman impressed last week.

Ears The Barman was also sold at Karaka in 2018 before joining Phillip Stokes' stable.

Zigallene (Ghibellines - Zigalong - Danzighill) was the first of Ghibellines' three winners in Australia.

The winner of three races was bred by White Robe Lodge stable clients Diana Duff-Staniland and Dean Lawrence.

Zigallene resumes from a spell at Doomben on Saturday for trainer Harold Norman.

Stewart described Ghibellines maiden 3yr-old season as a successful one.

El Gladiador (Ghibellines - Querella - Haafiz) was the sire's headline act, registering his first stakes win in the listed Dunedin Guineas for trainers John and Karen Parsons.

"All in all, Ghibellines had a great season and we were rapt with his results," Stewart said.

"He was a bit unlucky that racing stopped, because he had some really nice horses coming through."

El Gladiador's win came just a matter of days after the stallion was denied in the Gore Guineas when the Lance Robinson trained Live Drama (Ghibellines - Sheeza Drama - Pure Theatre) went down by the narrowest of margins to Lightning Jack.

Ranger (Ghibellines - Turn The Page - Danzighill) kept Ghibellines' name to the fore in the North Island, running his second stakes placing in the listed Trevor Eagle Memorial at Ellerslie for trainer Debbie Sweeney.

Covid19's shutdown of racing was the only downside to Ghibellines season.

Golden Harvest (Ghibellines - Renee Maree - Danzighill) and Markus Aurelius (Ghibellines - Evancho - Shinzig) were both smart winners for the sire in the days leading in to lockdown.

Ghibellines will stand for a fee of $5000 + gst in the 2020-21 breeding season.

To book, contact Wayne Stewart on 027 498 8037 or download a booking form here: /media/4730/Service%20Contract%20-GHBblank.pdf