Roman Dragon revels on the Roodee once more
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Thu 7 May 2026
The opener of the second day of Chester’s Boodles May Festival could not have had a more popular winner than it did with course specialist Roman Dragon landing the five-furlong CAA Stellar Handicap.
Sent off at 4-1, Roman Dragon was already the winning-most horse around his local Roodee and took his tally to an impressive eight wins from 21 runs.
Oisin Murphy had the Heeraat gelding positioned prominently through the race and fought off the late challenge from stablemate Dubai Bling to win by a head.
Malpas trainer Hugo Palmer said: “Roman Dragon around here is so special. He loses interest in a straight line and he’s a very balanced, agile, nimble horse.
“I think he just has a look around and straight lines don’t do it for him, but he ran very well at York last year. He has won in Bahrain as well, but for him it’s all about here and he will come back here when he can.
“He won the Queensferry Stakes last year and we’ll try to win it again later in the summer.”
Roman Dragon was warmly received in the winner’s enclosure, particularly so by breeder and co-owner Michael Owen who said: “We foaled him at home and he was a little ill horse who we were up in the middle of the night treating and it’s just brilliant to see him do what he does.”
On the second-placed Dubai Bling, Palmer said: “I’ve always wanted a dead-heat in a race and it’s about as close as it gets really. The horse I fancied was Dubai Bling and Billy (Loughnane) said he’s still learning to sprint. We’ll save him for the Wokingham now I think.”
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