O'Brien to wait for Septimus decision

Aidan O'Brien will reportedly walk Flemington's track on the morning of Tuesday's Melbourne Cup before giving Septimus the all…

Aidan O'Brien will reportedly walk Flemington's track on the morning of Tuesday's Melbourne Cup before giving Septimus the all-clear. Connections of the Irish St Leger winner had earlier in the week expressed fears the ground might be too firm for their star stayer.

The Ballydoyle handler walked a lap of the track on Monday and branded conditions as "fast" ahead of the Group One handicap over two miles.

"We didn't come here to watch from the grandstand," O'Brien told www.sportal.com.au. "It's fast ground, the track's in unbelievable order and we know
the guys are doing everything in their power to produce a safe track.

"I don't want to be going on about ground. All I'm worrying about is I want to have Septimus when he goes home."

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O'Brien, who also runs Honolulu and Alessandro Volta in the Melbourne Cup, assessed the track with course manager Mick Goodie.

Goodie said: "To him (O'Brien) he says it's fast ground, but what he calls firm or fast ground and what we call fast ground is completely different."

Dermot Weld feels Glen Boss' experience in the saddle could be the defining factor behind Profound Beauty's chances of glory.

The four-year-old mare has this week been the subject of strong market support and will have the added assistance of Boss, three times a Melbourne Cup winner aboard the great Makybe Diva.

Weld is no stranger to success in the race, however, and struck gold with Vintage Crop (1993) and Media Puzzle (2002).

He also has first-hand experience of Boss, having watched Makybe Diva and the 39-year-old rider defeat his Vinnie Roe by a length and a quarter in 2004. Weld's stayer also finished eighth behind Boss and the champion mare 12 months later.

"I saw enough of Glen Boss the year (2004) that he beat Vinnie Roe," reflected Weld. "Although I'd won it (the Melbourne Cup) twice previously, I thought he was the best horse we'd brought down and I thought this horse would be very, very hard to beat.

"And Glen got the dream run up the inside and the rest is history.

"His experience is very important for, in many ways, Profound Beauty is inexperienced and this is quite a big challenge for her."