Smokin’ Romans has provided Ciaron Maher with his first Warrnambool Cup success. 

Trainer Ciaron Maher has finally added a flat feature race at the Warrnambool Carnival to his record with Smokin' Romans taking out the Listed Warrnambool Cup. 

Maher, along with his association with former training partner David Eustace, had previously collected 16 feature victories, all over the jumps. 

Prior to this year's Carnival, Maher's victories had come via seven Grand Annual Steeplechase wins, five in the Brierly Steeplechase and four in the Galleywood Hurdle, but he was winless in the features on the flat, the Warrnambool Cup (2350m) and the Wangoom Handicap (1200m). 

Now it is only the Wangoom Handicap that Maher needs to complete the set after Smokin' Romans ($9) under Ben Melham led throughout to score narrowly from Torranzino ($12) in the Warrnambool Cup on Thursday. 

Maher, who was born and raised in the Warrnambool area, thought he had a strong hand in Thursday's Listed race with three contenders which was led by Group 1 winner Smokin' Romans while he also supplied third-placed Ziryab and Strawberry Rock that wound up in fifth position. 

"I thought we had a pretty good chance here today. I'm absolutely rapt," Maher told racing.com. 

"He's been such a great horse. To win a Group 1 and then carry a topweight like that. 

"What a fantastic ride from Ben. He understands this horse really well." 

While Maher was recording his maiden Warrnambool Cup victory, it was the second success for Melham who scored in 2010 aboard Hissing Sid. 

Melham made full use of Smokin' Romans inside draw and never left the rail. 

"The track has had a lot of traffic, and I thought I would stay hard on the rail," Melham said. 

"I wanted to lead on him because of the big weight, and I didn't want to be stop-starting on him. 

"He had to do a bit of work going out of the straight and it was only the weight (59kg) late that brought him back over the line. 

"He is a Group 1 winner, who has a bit of class, but he can mix his form a little bit, but he does seem to go well for me." 

Melham led throughout on Smokin' Romans when the pair won the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) during the Melbourne Cup Carnival before running second on the stayer in the Group 2 Sandown Classic (2400m) at Caulfield.