Weld determined to solve Ascot Gold Cup puzzle
Weld runners anywhere must always be respected and his sights next week are firmly set on one of his favourite meetings.
“Royal Ascot has the greatest week’s racing in Europe, if not the world. That’s why I’m selective in what I send there,” he explained.
This time Weld only has two runners with serious chances at the fiercely-contested fixture, but among them is Media Puzzle, who is on the comeback trail having won the Melbourne Cup back in 2002 before being off for almost two years with tendon problems.
He is aiming at the Gold Cup with Media Puzzle and does not think that is to big a task for a horse who has had such a long lay-off.
“I regard him as a performer with great ability and in Australia he certainly didn’t let me down,” he said.
“He won the Geelong Cup in Victoria in 2002 the year he won the Melbourne Cup and he was third in the Sandown Classic in 2004, but then had a break and was off the course with what I would call chronic tendon problems.
“I never gave up hope, however, for Media Puzzle always had class and although he’s a nine-year-old, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t run a big race in the Gold Cup.
“I was delighted with his comeback race at the Curragh earlier this year but I was even more reassured of his well-being when he won the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown last month. That convinced me that he would have a real chance in the Gold Cup.”
Weld has a marvellous record in the race, even though he has never won it.
“Vintage Crop was only beaten a neck (in 1994) and he won the Melbourne Cup as well as the Irish St Leger, while Vinnie Roe was unlucky I thought to go down by a head (2002).
“They are the only two horses I’ve had in the race so I can’t say that it’s an unlucky contest as far as I am concerned.
“In fact it has been good to me for those two runners were two of the greatest long distance-horses in Europe and they proved that when they went to Australia.”
Weld believes Media Puzzle has the ability to win if conditions are right for him.
“There’s no point in going into the Gold Cup if you don’t think you can win it,” he said. “And I certainly believe that Media Puzzle has the ability to come out on top.
“After that he would deserve another crack at the Melbourne Cup but we’ll have to wait and see what happens at Ascot.
“Like all races at the meeting it takes a lot of winning but I’m not put off by the fact that Media Puzzle has had such a long lay-off.
“His latest run has proved to me that he has the class and the sparkle and hopefully he will run a big race.”
Weld has a lucky association with Royal Ascot, where he has always been selective in the horses he has sent to represent him.
“You just don’t send any horse to the Royal meeting. You’ve got to have something which has a chance of getting his head in front. I have had 13 major successes there from very few runners and I’m delighted with my strike-rate at the meeting.
“I suppose you could say my biggest day was in 1992 when I won the St James’s Palace Stakes with Brief Truce. This was reckoned by the experts to be the race of the decade for it had the 2000 Guineas winner Rodrigo De Triano in the field and also Arazi, who was causing some excitement at that stage after his blazing win in the Breeders Cup as a two-year-old.
“No-one considered Brief Truce but he came through at the finish to beat everything else and I still have a mental picture of Michael Kinane putting him home.
“There’s no feeling like it when you win at Ascot in one of the top races, especially when you are unconsidered.”
Weld also has happy memories of In Time’s Eye, who was successful in the Wolferton Stakes three years ago.
This year the Weld flag will also be carried by Nightime, who hammered the opposition in the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh.
Weld always likes to win with horses bred by his mother and Nightime was one of them.
“Nightime is an exceptionally quick filly and I wasn’t surprised when she won the Guineas, she had taken her maiden race impressively at Cork over an extended mile.
“I was pleased with her work all along and when she bolted home in the Guineas by such a convincing margin I wasn’t surprised.
“She goes for the Coronation Stakes, which I haven’t had a runner in for some time at Royal Ascot but I did win it a few years ago with Stton Place (1978).
“It’s a bit like Cheltenham in the National Hunt world. You are meeting the best and you have to have some luck on your side.
“I have some other runners at Ascot but they are as yet not decided. Media Puzzle and Nightime are the two definite runners and I feel I have chances with both of them.”
Going back a few years the remarkable Weld had winners with two runners at the 1974 meeting when Red Alert won the Jersey Stakes and Highest Trump took the Queen Mary.
“Wouldn’t it be something if I had another double, this time out of very few runners,” he said with a grin.
“I love to travel the world and I’ve been happy to win in America, Australia, Hong Kong and all over the place. But there’s something special with a winner at Royal Ascot. It’s the showpiece of the Flat racing game and to have a winner there is really something special. I hope I can come up with something this time.”
