When In Rome

 First to spring from the gates yet last of the eight runners when passing the 400 metre mark, Roman Odyssey unleashed a tidy turn of foot to make a triumphant return to the winner's circle at Gosford on Thursday to end the 2015/16 season on a high for Team Pfieffer.

The four-year-old was in questionable form, taking one step forward and two steps back with a pair of below-par performances that cast a shadow over his last stride win at Kembla Grange earlier in March.

Sent for an 8 week freshen up and guided through a patient course of action by the Pfieffer operation returned the fire to Roman Odyssey, as the gelding scorched around the Gosford bend full of running to accelerate past race favourite Wide Acclaim with a half-length to spare. A year beforehand Roman Odyssey had impressively shed his maiden status at his first start over 1100m at Hawkesbury on a bogged track, ironically defeating Wide Acclaim as the $2.20 favourite.

"It was great to get a winner before the season ended. He trialled really well and was galloping even better at home so we were hopeful of a positive result" said trainer David Pfieffer.

Christian Reith was the initial choice to ride the son of Holy Roman Emperor in the class 1 event, but a wayward hoof at Wyong on Tuesday crushed the thin clarino boot that stood no chance of protecting the hoop’s foot.

Pfieffer quickly moved to secure the country’s leading rider, who added to his burgeoning reputation with the ride of the race despite facing the widest barrier and 58kg penalty. The gelding certainly had fitness on his side, following an impressive second in a Warwick Farm trial over 740m when under Reith’s stranglehold, which pointed towards a promising showing first-up.

Roman Odyssey has now won three of his twelve starts and just over $60,000 in prizemoney.

Purchased by Fraternity Thoroughbreds as a ready-to-run 2YO in 2013 from the Cambridge, New Zealand-based Lyndhurst Farm, Roman Odyssey is by the Irish blueblood Holy Roman Emperor, who hails from the family of Fanfreluche, the champion 3YO filly of Canada who would later be heralded as the dam of L’Enjoleur, a dual Canadian horse of the year and successful sire.

A stockily-built yet relatively small son of the immortal Danehill, Holy Roman Emperor’s siblings from the venerable matron L’on Vite were equally as memorable, headed by the record-breaking $5 million dollar broodmare purchase in Milanova. Shuttling sporadically between Ireland and Australia meant Holy Roman Emperor achieved little from his debut crops yet his durability as a sire would soon reward breeders with Group 1 winners Homecoming Queen (1,000 Guineas, UK), Rich Tapestry (Santa Anita Championship, US), Designs On Rome (Hong Kong Classic Cup, HK), Morandi (Criterium de Saint-Cloud, France) and locally with Mongolian Khan (ATC Derby, Caulfield Cup).

Whilst Roman Odyssey may not join the elite company of his sire’s Group 1 progeny, it should be noted that his dam, Rule The Waves, offers a proven cross that has thrown a number of successful stakes horses. Rule The Waves is by King’s Best, an exceptional son of Kingmambo and in turn by Mr Prospector, and the Mr Prospector/Danehill nick is one that the most astute pedigree scholars compliment so often. It is recently the source of the Indian Group 1 winner Be Safe, winner of the 2015 Indian Derby at Mumbai, to add an exceptionally unique flair to the international success of the sire.

Rule The Waves was bred back to the Danehill line with her current 2YO being a filly by the Blue Diamond winner Reward For Effort called Roxy Pro. She has a foal at foot by Darley’s 2,000 Guineas champion Dawn Approach but appears to be empty for the 2016 season.

With a globally acclaimed pedigree and speed to burn when at his peak, Roman Odyssey provides another exciting card in Pfieffer’s strong hand as the trainer greets the new season.