Weld double-handed for Melbourne Cup
Weld is the only northern hemisphere trainer to win Australia's richest and most famous horse race, thanks to Media Puzzle last year and Vintage Crop in 1993.
Media Puzzle's owner Michael Smurfit bought Lowlander last year. "It did surprise us when he beat Media Puzzle (at The Curragh in September) so when he came on the market, which was before the Melbourne Cup, we bought him," said Dermot Cantillon , Smurfit's stable manager.
"He's had a few runs in handicaps since but hasn't shown a lot, but we're still looking at bringing him out here," added Cantillon, who is in Melbourne for the Australian horse of the year awards.
Cantillon said Media Puzzle was recovering well from a tendon injury. "He's back in full training and we're looking at giving him a prep race at The Curragh in August."
Former champion Barry Geraghty provided some respite for punters at Bellewstown last night when completing a double on Mirpour and Balla Time.
Trained by Owen Griffin, Mirpour completed a hat-trick over hurdles when justifying odds-on favouritism in the Potato Protection Novice Hurdle.
Always close to the pace, Mirpour survived a blunder at the sixth flight before going to the front soon after the next and had to be driven out in the closing stages to record his third victory over timber.
Geraghty later completed his double when Balla Time captured the Tote Jackpot Handicap Hurdle for trainer Harry Rogers, who had earlier initiated his own double with The Red Fellow in the first division of the Anglo Printers Handicap.
The Red Fellow, unplaced at Ballinrobe on Tuesday, forged clear in the straight for Fran Berry to record an emphatic victory.
On a night of shocks, Catherine Gannon continued in top form on board the Jim Gorman trained Okay in the second division of the Anglo Printers Handicap while Solo Solero, out of luck over course and distance on Wednesday, won the Siular Black Hilltown Handicap.
And the versatile Kadoun, having his first run on the flat for more than two years, ran out an impressive winner of the Bellewstown Festival InterVintners Cup. Ridden by Denis Cullen, the Michael O'Brien trained six-year-old was recording his sixth career win and is now Galway-bound.
