WHEN well bred gelding Roman Times made his way into Adrian Duggan’s harness racing stables at Brighton 18 months ago he was confident a rising star was in his midst.
He was placed on debut as a two-year-old but he couldn’t quite put it all together so after a half-dozen tries he was tipped out for a spell.
It took until Australia Day at New Norfolk for the gelding to finally deliver the goods.
With the trainer’s brother Ricky Duggan aboard, Roman Times delivered the goods in a 3YO and older race for non-winners over 2160 metres.
Courtesy of a gun run in the one-out-one-back position, the gelded New Zealand-bred son of Julius Caesar-I’m Sassi produced a scintillating finishing burst in the home straight to emerge triumphant over Don’t Pull My Chain and Top Memories.
The trainer said it had been a long wait but Duggan is hopeful the win will be the first of many.