With wins in the Group I Randwick Guineas and Group 1 Cantala Stakes, Le Romain has shown he has few peers at a mile but with his first-up win under 61 kgs in Monday's $150,000 Group III Southern Cross Stakes at Randwick proved he is no slouch over 1200 metres.
After fighting off Dothraki in the straight, Le Romain had to dig deep again as Big Money loomed as a menacing presence.
Hugh Bowman extracted everything out of the son of Hard Spun to edge out Big Money (Choisir) by a short-head with Snippets Land (
The Kris Lees-trained 4yo gelding advances his overall record to 5 wins, 6 seconds and 1 third from 14 starts with earnings of $1,592,075.
"The race set up well for him," Bowman said.
"It wouldn't have normally been our plan to go forward like that first-up with him but there was just no speed and we were able to amble along outside the leader.
Horses with class can run these sort of sectionals at home on the track with a heavier rider."
Lees believes Le Romain is underrated and described him "as a really good horse" and he's never "come away from the races disappointed with his effort".
"I suppose he's possibly still a touch underrated but I doubt that's going to be the case by the end of the autumn," he said.
"I thought he'd matured coming back this preparation. Mainly mentally but also a bit physically as he was a late foal."
Le Romain is now likely to contest the Group I Canterbury Stakes in 12 days before a possible clash with Winx in the Group I George Ryder Stakes ahead of a start in the Doncaster Mile.
Bred and part-owned by Mark
The daughter of Strategic is out of the Night Shift mare Mielleuse who was placed in the Group II Reisling Slipper and is a half-sister to the stakes winner and multiple Group 1 placed Pursuits (Quest For Fame).
Mignard has a 2yo filly by Domesday named Isabeau and yearling filly by Kuroshio. She foaled a colt by the Exceed And Excel stallion again last season.
Keeping with the Darley theme, Mignard was one of 136 mares to visit the striking Lonhro stallion Exosphere last spring.
