RACING: Leading Melbourne Cup hope Vinnie Roe enhanced his prospects for the big race with a brilliant piece of work at Flemington yesterday.
Partnered by trainer Dermot Weld's stable jockey Pat Smullen, Vinnie Roe eclipsed his work companion, 2001 Rosehill Guineas winner Sale Of Century, running the last 600 metres of a 1,600 metres workout in 35.75 seconds.
Master trainer Bart Cummings, an 11-times Melbourne Cup winner, described it as a "brilliant gallop" while Vinnie Roe appears to be on target to emulate Vintage Crop's 1993 victory in the feature event.
"We wanted to bring him to Flemington and get him used to the place," explained Mark Weld, the trainer's son.
"He will drop a couple of pounds from that gallop so it's nice to have seven days to play with. I wouldn't want the race to be run at the end of the week."
Stablemate Media Puzzle tagged along for the ride but did not work at Flemington as Weld revealed the Geelong Cup winner has never raced Vinnie Roe because he is not considered a Group One horse at home.
British challengers were also out in force with the Alan Jarvis-trained Jardines Lookout enjoying a spin on the track.
The five-year-old was ridden for the first time in a 1,600-metre gallop by big race pilot Patrick Payne and he proved much too good for his lesser work companion.
Meanwhile at Sandown, Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor has arrived to oversee the final preparations of their contenders.
Bin Suroor arrived on Monday and was at the track to cast an eye over Pugin, Beekeeper and Hatha Anna as they build up to next Tuesday's race.
"They are in very good condition, they are sound and healthy," bin Suroor said.
The four-year-old Pugin, who Godolphin recently bought out of the John Oxx yard, is currently favourite for the two-mile event but bin Suroor was more impressed with stablemate Beekeeper.
"I am impressed with his condition. His action while cantering and jogging looks great," he said. "He ran very well in the Caulfield Cup and if he comes back, which it looks like he should, he should run a good race.
"Pugin is our top horse but I really like Beekeeper. He's had a few problems in the past but he has come back very well. He looks the right horse for the Melbourne Cup," he said.
"This is our best chance to win the race."
Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate winner Northerly is now a definite non-runner in the feature event. Trainer Fred Kersley has ruled out the six-year-old out and ended the spring campaign of the West Australian champion.
On the betting front, Pugin remains a solid favourite at 6 to 1 with Coral while William Hill report some interest in Michael Stoute's raider Daliapour. The six-year-old is now a 25 to 1 shot from 33 to 1 for the feature event.
MELBOURNE CUP: Betting: 6-1 Pugin, 7-1 Vinnie Roe, 8-1 Beekeeper, Media Puzzle, 10-1 Rain Gauge, 12-1 Distinctly Secret, 16-1 Platinum Scissors, Prized Gem, 20-1 Pentastic, 25-1 The Secondmortgage, Helene Vitality, Jardines Lookout, Hatha Anna, 33-1 bar.
• Kevin Darley reached yet another landmark in a terrific season when he won the Nottingham Centre Handicap on the John Dunlop-trained Heir To Be at Nottingham yesterday.
Having earlier been successful on Danielle's Lad in the Welcome To Nottingham Racecourse Handicap, Darley has now joined the band of other top-class jockeys to ride 2,000 winners in Britain.
