Vinnie Roe run in the balance
Connections of Vinnie Roe have threatened to withdraw the four-times Irish St Leger winner from the Emirates Melbourne Cup if the ground is not soft enough.
Mark Weld, son of Vinnie Roe’s trainer Dermot Weld, revealed that the six-year-old would miss Australia’s biggest race at Flemington next Tuesday unless there was plenty of rain.
“Everything hinges on what falls from above. If there is not a considerable ease in the ground he won’t partake,” Weld junior told www.rte.ie.
“We’ll hold to our line all along that Vinnie Roe won’t run if the ground is not suitable. Anyone wishing to back the horse, be very cautious. We can’t be any straighter than that.”
Weld junior said the final decision on whether Vinnie Roe would run in the two-mile handicap would not be made until the morning of the race.
Vinnie Roe finished fourth behind his stable companion Media Puzzle in the 2002 Melbourne Cup, but both horses were badly jarred up.
Media Puzzle did not race again for 20 months, while Vinnie Roe was out of action for a year, and Weld junior said the stable would not be taking any chances if the weather did not change.
Vinnie Roe, the top-weight, is second favourite at 6-1 with leading British bookmakers.
Weld junior was at Sandown racecourse near Melbourne to watch Vinnie Roe and Media Puzzle work solidly over a mile and a half, and said they would do “very little” between now and the Cup.
“They don’t need to do much more,” Weld told the age.com.au.
“If we could have ground like this at Flemington, we would be very happy.”
The course at Sandown has been kept soft for the international visitors.
Chief steward Ted Gleeson said that connections could scratch Vinnie Roe up to 8am on the day of the race on payment of the final declaration fee of 22,275.
In other Cup news, Frankie Dettori will partner Mamool if all three Godolphin horses take their chance.
Godolphin’s website also reported that their number two rider, Australian Kerrin McEvoy, would then have the choice between the other two likely runners, Razkalla and Fantastic Love.
Mamool would be on a revenge mission at Flemington as he suffered an injury in the race 12 months ago when sent off the 11-2 favourite with Dettori in the saddle.
He has had only three races since then, finishing third on his reappearance at Deauville in August and winning the September Stakes at Kempton before finishing in the rear behind Bago in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Godolphin’s preparation for the Cup stepped up a gear today when Mamool and Razkalla did their most significant work at Sandown since they arrived in Australia, according to www.godolphin.com.
Described as “building work”, the two horses went three-quarter speed to the six-furlong marker and then quickened up for the last two furlongs.
Fantastic Love cantered and is likely to work later this week.
Mamool has been cut to 14-1 from 20s with totesport.
Godolphin’s trio, Weld’s pair and the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Distinction were among a total of 38 horses left in at today’s third declaration stage.
Melbourne Cup betting:
Totesport: 3-1 Makybe Diva, 6-1 Vinnie Roe, 8-1 Media Puzzle, 10-1 Hugs Dancer, 11-1 Pacific Dancer, 12-1 Distinction, She’s Archie, 14-1 Mamool, Elvstroem, Savabeel, Strasbourg, 16-1 Grey Song, Mummify, Rizon, 20-1 bar.
William Hill: 11-4 Makybe Diva, 6-1 Vinnie Roe, 7-1 Media Puzzle, 8-1 Hugs Dancer, She’s Archie, 10-1 Distinction, 12-1 Pacific Dancer, 14-1 Elvstroem, Rizon, Savabeel, Strasbourg, 20-1 Another Warrior, Mamool, Razkalla, 25-1 bar.
Ladbrokes: 3-1 Makybe Diva, 6-1 Vinnie Roe, 8-1 Media Puzzle, 9-1 Hugs Dancer, 10-1 She’s Archie, 11-1 Pacific Dancer, 14-1 Distinction, Elvstroem, 16-1 Mamool, Rizon, Mummify, Savabeel, Strasbourg, 20-1 Grey Song, 25-1 bar.
Coral: 11-4 Makybe Diva, 6-1 Vinnie Roe, 9-1 Media Puzzle, 10-1 Hugs Dancer, Distinction, She’s Archie, 11-1 Pacific Dancer, 14-1 Mamool, Strasbourg, 16-1 Grey Song, Rizon, 20-1 Mummify, Razkalla, 25-1 bar.
