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Karaka-sourced stayer Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines) earned himself a shot at the A$5m Group One Caulfield Cup (2400m) with a tenacious victory at the same venue in Saturday’s A$200,000 Group Three Catanach’s Jewellers MRC Foundation Cup (2000m).

Bought for $52,500 from breeders White Robe Lodge in Book 1 of Karaka 2018, Smokin' Romans has now had 22 starts for eight wins, seven placings and A$681,765 in stakes.

Smokin' Romans had become renowned for his consistency and toughness, but until Saturday at Caulfield, the biggest win of his career had come in last season's Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m).

The six-year-old sat outside the front-running Elephant (NZ) (Shocking) until the home turn in Saturday's feature, when he surged forward to make his bid.

While the testing wet track conditions brought many of his rivals undone, Smokin' Romans was right up to the task. Responding to the urgings of jockey Ethan Brown, he edged away from favoured rivals Uncle Bryn (Sea The Stars) and Gold Trip (Oustrip) to score by three-quarters of a length.

"On paper there looked to be no speed, and he was in really well at the weights," Brown said. "He jumped well, so we went forward. We picked it up from the 700 (metres), and I liked how he really dug in. He's going to get better over further. He's done a terrific job and whatever he's done today, he's going to improve on."

The winner of the Foundation Cup is exempt from the ballot from the Caulfield Cup on October 15.

"The aim with Smokin' Romans was the Bart Cummings (Group Three, 2500m) to get him into the Melbourne Cup (Group One, 3200m), but what a great problem to have – switching to the Caulfield Cup," said Ciaron Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace.

"This is fantastic. The team have done a great job with him – he's always been a bit of a quirky horse. At the end of his last prep, we sent him down to our beach facility. When he went to a different place, a racetrack, he would lose it a little bit. So we sent him down there, so he would get on and off a truck each morning, and we've really seen the benefit of that now.

"He's trained down at Fingal, the girls have done a fantastic job down there. He's carrying a lot more strength because he's a lot more relaxed.

"It was a beautiful ride by Ethan Brown, who went forward. He looked in control the whole way. The owners and I have always had high aspirations for him, and just looking at the horse, you tell he was in for a great prep."

Smokin' Romans is out of White Robe Lodge's highly talented mare Inferno (NZ) (Yamanin Vital), whose 10 wins included two victories in the Group Three Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m). She is the dam of three foals, all winners.