Master Tactician ticked another box for Rommel’s 4yo division when he bloused out Dark Looks (My Admiration) in the Free Entry To Belmont Park Hcp (1650m) on Wednesday.
Laqdar Ramoly gave Master Tactician plenty of time to find his feet in a Class 3 for trainer Neville Parnham. He was detached from the pack down the back but packed a punch in the straight to defeat the favourite who was being hailed the winner at the furlong.
“The boss said not to give up on him and he will give you everything,” Ramoly revealed. “He can be lazy and I was riding hard from the 800m. We stayed wide on the wet track and once we balanced, he had a good turn of foot.”
Master Tactician is from the same crop as Rommel’s Perth city winners Bold Hero, Lost City and Romming Danger. So is Adelaide-based filly Desert Dancing. She won at Morphettville for owner-breeder Santo Guagliardo who stands Rommel at Ridgeport Farm in Waroona.
Guagliardo also bred Master Tactician and kept a share after selling him for $50,000 at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions.
“He’s blooming with maturity,” Ridgeport Farm manager Marge Ojapold reported. “He’s a big kid and it’s good to see him putting it all together now.”
Master Tactician (Photo / Western Racepix) is one of five winners from In A Whisper (Real Quiet). The mare’s final foals are an unraced Rommel 3yo filly named Hush The General with Roy Rogers and a 2yo Rommel filly with Peter and Luke Fernie.
The Ridgeport team foaled down 21 mares first-up at Waroona in 2023 and that will increase to 40 this season. “Our first to arrive this month is a Universal Ruler colt from Lucky Juniper (Zoustar) who is owned by our good client Lee Cox,” Marge said. “Lee also sent Romaconi (Nicconi) to Rommel last year and Lucky Juniper is visiting Ducimus this year.”
Second on the ground is a first-crop Lightsaber filly out of Ridgeport mare All Cooped Up (Bel Esprit). “She’s a very nice filly and is always zooming around her yard. All Cooped Up is only a young mare and it’s an exciting family. Her older full-sister Bel Mer won the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes.”
Ojapold also mentioned they are very pleased with the third-born foal at Ridgeport. “She’s a gorgeous Playing God filly out of our black-type mare Express Time (War Chant). She is jointly owned by Santo, Neville and Yarradale Stud.”
Ridgeport Farm stands Rommel (Commands) for $6,600 alongside Ducimus (Snitzel) at $5,500. Both fees (inc GST). For bookings or more information, contact Marge Ojapold (0497 478 231), Grant Burns (0410 683 470), Steve Hoare (0409 987 970).
