Roger James was delighted to see his High Chaparral filly Romantic Maid deliver in a three-year-old event over 2000 metres at Randwick today.
“That will seal a trip to the Queensland Oaks and on that run she deserves that opportunity,” James said. “She was in front a long way out and it’s a big, long straight – she won well and it’s what you want to see when you bring them this far.”
The winner of two of her four New Zealand starts, Romantic Maid had finished third in her Australian debut at Rosehill in an effort that prompted a gear addition on the advice of jockey Michael Rodd.
“Michael said she felt a little bit tentative and needed blinkers and I had worked her in them at home,” James said.
In the absence on Wednesday of the Singapore-based Rodd, Romantic Maid was ridden by Sam Clipperton who had the daughter of High Chaparral travelling well in third spot before peeling wide near the turn.
“I kept her in a nice rhythm and nursed her through her gears,” he said.
“There’s a lot of upside to her and Roger has got a really nice horse.”
- NZ Racing Desk
