Racing: First ride whets Irish appetite for Cup victory

By MIKE DILLON in Melbourne

Pat Smullen's eyes narrowed briefly when he copped a tough question.

The high-profile Irish jockey who rides Vinnie Roe in tomorrow's A$4.6 million Melbourne Cup had just been asked if he felt, like many others do, that he rode a shocker when fourth on Vinnie Roe in the 2002 Cup.

The Sandown press conference waited impatiently for the answer.

Like everyone else, Smullen must have been reliving the first half of that race when he had Vinnie Roe wide before taking him to the lead mid-race.

"Absolutely not," he said.

"I rode to keep him out of trouble and give him a free run.

"And he had a hassle-free run.

"The ride couldn't have been that bad - Media Puzzle was on my backside the whole race and he went on to win."

That was Smullen's only Melbourne Cup ride.

Asked what he learned from the experienced Smullen said: "I've learned it's hard to win."

Then he got serious.

"Every day that's gone by in two years I've thought about winning the Melbourne Cup. Once you've competed in it you want to come back and do it again - it's one of the world's greatest races."

Australian weather forecasters have promised to take away a niggling problem for Vinnie Roe's Irish trainer Dermot Weld by forecasting rain in Melbourne tomorrow.

Vinnie Roe developed leg trouble on a rock hard surface two years ago and Weld has been adamant for weeks that he would leave a decision on whether to start Vinnie Roe until 8 am on race day.

"I have been serious about not running him if the track is hard. I have a very difficult decision to make. We're here to race, but he hurt himself two years ago and I wouldn't do that to him again, he's too valuable as a stallion and I have to look after him."

Vinnie Roe improves lengths on easy to soft ground and rain would be a blessing for Weld.

"He's got arthritis in his shoulders and he doesn't let himself down on hard tracks."

Smullen echoed Weld.

"Two years ago he at no stage let himself down [to hit out with full extension]."

It is a different Vinnie Roe this time around.

He looks much more settled and is keener in the eye.

"It's well known that he didn't settle in well last time and there were concerns for him," said Weld.

Which makes Vinnie Roe's fourth a highly creditable performance.

He drops 1kg to 58kg this time and, if forecasters are right, will be on his favoured surface.

He has won a remarkable four straight Irish St Legers. Respected Northern Hemisphere form analysts rate the most recent St Leger effort on a par with all but one of the previous performances, which they say was superior.

The 2004 victory was shown at yesterday's press conference. It clearly shows Vinnie Roe button off in the closing 100m after being well clear 250m out.

"That was only because he knew he had the race won," said Smullen.

"If a horse had come alongside he'd have fought alright. He likes a dogfight."

Weld said he was delighted with the progress of the 2002 winner Media Puzzle since arriving in Australia. "He loves it here, he always steps up a gear.

"He did both tendons in when winning the Melbourne Cup and whether they really come back [to form] is always a question. But if he gets a really firm track, he'll give a very big account of himself."

Weld suggested the Sir Michael Stout-trained English runner Distinction was the horse to beat at the weights.

"He's well weighted," he said.

Stout is one of the world's best trainers and like Weld, an expert at travelling horses.

He said he started setting Distinction for the cup 14 months ago. He stopped short of admitting he had protected Distinction's form to get under the handicapper's guard at 54kg.

Stout is delighted with the way his horse has come back to full health since having to be scratched from the Caulfield Cup when found to have an elevated muscle enzyme count.

Pat Smullen gave a delighted flourish with his whip as Vinnie Roe went over the line in the Irish St Leger and said jockeys in Ireland, unlike in Australia are not fined for such things.

You got the impression he will be willing to risk the fine.

* Gary Grylls has the ride on New Zealand-owned Pacific Dancer, replacing Michael Rodd, who was hurt in Hong Kong on Saturday.