Vinnie Roe's progress towards a career finale in the Melbourne Cup is starting to go more smoothly, so much so that his trainer Dermot Weld is now more concerned about the state of the ground for the big day than the possible impact of the horse's horror trip to Australia
A 48-hour journey to Melbourne via London, Copenhagen, Dubai and Singapore over a week ago was made even more arduous for the star stayer when he endured an attack of colic on the plane. However, the good news from the Weld camp now is that Vinnie Roe has settled well into his Sandown quarantine centre on the edge of Melbourne and is cantering every day in preparation for the big race in just under two weeks' time (November 1st).
"He is cantering daily and we are satisfied with his progress," Weld reported yesterday. "He did get a touch of colic and it was a bit scary at the time, but I'm glad to say he has responded well to treatment and we are happy with his progress."
Indeed, Weld, already twice a Melbourne Cup winner with Vintage Crop (1993) and Media Puzzle (2002), is looking towards the race itself and the problem that fast ground conditions might present. "A bigger concern now really is the ground which is pretty firm at the moment. It's pretty warm down there too so we could really do with a bit of rain," the Curragh trainer said.
The same comment also applies to Weld's Irish Derby winner Grey Swallow who landed in Toronto on Sunday ahead of his attempt on the $1.5 million Canadian International at Woodbine. "It's pretty fast there too but Grey Swallow is in very good form. A little bit of rain though would be ideal," Weld added.
Grey Swallow is one of four European raiders for Sunday night's international highlight, joining Aidan O'Brien's Yeats as well as Electrocutionist from Italy and last year's runner-up, Simonon, from Germany.
Aidan O'Brien has outlined his battle plans for the Breeders' Cup on Saturday week at Belmont Park in New York with Oratorio leading a five-strong Ballydoyle squad in the $4 million Classic on dirt.
O'Brien won the Juvenile at Belmont four years ago with the brilliant Johannesburg and it's Ivan Denisovich who will try and follow in that horse's hoof-prints in the $1.5 million two-year-old highlight.
The Prix de l'Opera runner-up Mona Lisa will try for a first Group race success of her career in the fillies and mares event while Ad Valorem will fly the flag in the Mile. However, the defection of Powerscourt leaves Ace as the sole O'Brien hope for the $2 million Turf.
Other Irish interest at the world's richest day's racing will include John Oxx's Azamour who is the ante-post favourite for the Turf. Oxx's sole Breeders' Cup win came at Belmont 10 years ago in the Mile with Ridgewood Pearl.
David Wachman's Luas Line has run three times already in the US this year and despite a disappointing run in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Keeneland last weekend she remains a possible for the fillies and mares.
At home the midweek focus is very definitely on the jumping side of things at Punchestown.
Tomorrow's Daily Star Chase has hit pay-dirt with the first appearance of the season of the Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Kicking King who will be taken on by last season's course Grade One winner War Of Attrition.
Another Grade One festival winner, Forget The Past from the Michael O'Brien yard, will also take his chance.
Not surprisingly today's Listed highlights can hardly compete with that but both €32,000 events have their own star entries.
Justified was a major Irish hope in the Cheltenham Festival opener last season and showed a disappointing effort there to be all wrong by subsequently winning at Fairyhouse.
Dusty Sheehy's horse has to concede experience in the novice chase but will hardly have to concede in the talent area.
It was Wild Passion who ultimately did best in that Cheltenham Supreme Novices' Hurdle by finishing second and also followed up with a win here at the festival.
Noel Meade appears to have found a suitable opener for the season in the conditions hurdle although Wild Passion will have to be near his best to cope with the Pretemps winner Oulart as well as Master Albert.
Meade also gives the Christmas bumper winner Corrigeenroe a jumping debut in the maiden hurdle and it will take a smart one to beat this highly regarded five-year-old.
