roman fortress

This exciting two-year-old colt is based with Classic-winning trainer Hugo Palmer at Michael Owen’s stunning Manor House Stables in Cheshire.

Hugo forged his reputation during more than a decade in Newmarket, sending out Galileo Gold (Paco Boy) to win the Gr.1 2,000 Guineas and Covert Love (Azamour) to win the Gr.1 Irish Oaks, amongst a host of big race victories. He moved to Manor House Stables in 2022 and has continued his success since relocating, enjoying a particularly strong start to the 2024 campaign. 

Roman Fortress is a son of the prominent young sire Calyx, who won the Gr.2 Coventry Stakes for John Gosden and Juddmonte during a brief but brilliant racing career, and now stands at Coolmore Stud. His first crop emerged onto racecourses last season and included the Gr.1 Dewhurst Stakes third Eben Shaddad, the Gr.2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte winner Classic Flower, and the Gr.2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes winner Persian Dreamer, amongst many others. 

An April foal, Roman Fortress is a son of the Bahamian Bounty mare Herridge, who won over 7f on the all-weather for Richard Hannon as a two-year-old. 

She has since produced two winners from three runners, headed by the five-time scorer Freak Out (Kodiac). Herridge is a half-sister to the Listed-placed Medieval (Kodiac), while the Gr.3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes winner Epsom Icon is another close-up member of a family that dates back to several high-class Cheveley Park-bred horses such as Red Camellia and Red Bloom.

Hugo Palmer describes Roman Fortress as a ‘really athletic and strong horse; looks like a bullet two-year-old’, and it is extremely encouraging to note that he has given him entries in the £300,000 Weatherbys Sales Race at the Doncaster St Leger meeting and the £500,000 Goffs Sales Race at York.

Hugo’s two-year-old Calyx filly It Ain’t Two made a winning debut at the Craven meeting at Newmarket and here is hoping that Roman Fortress can follow her into the winner’s enclosure!