RACING: Vinnie Roe has been given a provisional green light to challenge for the Melbourne Cup.
After the colt's weekend triumph in the Irish Leger, Dermot Weld was outspoken in his belief that the Leger runner-up Pugin was a handicap good thing for the Australian race.
The Godolphin purchase is set to get 12lb from Vinnie Roe in the Cup and Weld stated during the weekend that discussions would have to be held with owner Jim Sheridan before a final decision on travelling down under would be made.
However, he said yesterday: "As of now he is a runner. I've spoken to Jim and we have decided as of now to let him take his chance.
"But we will have to see how he is working and how he is adapting to quarantine. Provided next week everything is alright, we will go."
Vinnie Roe will be accompanied down under, and in the Cup itself, by his stable companion Media Puzzle who was placed in a Curragh handicap on Sunday.
Despite Weld's misgivings about the handicapping for the big race, Vinnie Roe remains a 6 to 1 favourite for the Melbourne Cup with Paddy Power. Pugin is on 10 to 1 and Media Puzzle is a 33 to 1 outsider.
Vinnie Roe skipped the Australian trip last year in favour of the Prix Royal Oaks, the French Leger at Longchamp, which this time is run nine days before the Melbourne Cup on October 27th.
Aidan O'Brien's Miguel Cervantes is a runner in today's Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury but the Ballydoyle trainer is also sending the newcomer France and the $4 million Warhol for maidens on the same card.
Down Royal starts two days of racing this afternoon and the opening conditions hurdle looks a clash between Take Flite and the younger Kings Opera who won his maiden on the fast at Ballinrobe.
Soranna took a while to get into her stride at Fairyhouse on Wednesday but eventually won out over six furlongs from Addario and Spring Clean. The extra furlong of the claimer should be right up the Michael Grassick runner's street. Viva Bingo was an expensive failure at Tipperary and while the two miles may be still short of this one's best, the more undulating track could be in his favour in the last.
The Nire Maiden Hurdle attracted one of the smallest fields for such a contest in many years at Clonmel yesterday but for former Minister Michael Lowry the outcome was the perfect tonic when his charge Phar From Tipp duly obliged in the hands of John Thomas McNamara.
Leased by the Independent TD to trainer Andrew McNamara, the opening price of even money was snapped up quickly and the former winning pointer started a warm 8 to 13 chance before recording a bloodless pillar to post success over market rival Sullivan's Cascade.
"It was a handy one alright and I said coming down in the car that it he didn't win this race we would be in trouble," said Lowry, who will be hoping to watch his four-year-old gelded son of Phardante in action again at Listowel in a handicap hurdle tomorrow week.
Favourite backers looked all set to collect in the penultimate Munster Novice Chase when Dermot Weld's front-running Ballyconnell and Barry Geraghty appeared to have the winners purse safely in the bag, bar a fall approaching the final fence.
But it was not as the even money shot ducked left after jumping the obstacle flawlessly and unceremoniously unshipped the former champion, leaving Sean McDermott to count his lucky stars aboard Manacured.
"For some reason he just ducked on me and left me with little chance of staying on board," said a dejected Geraghty.
Charlie Swan, who didn't ride in the second race as he was suffering from a stomach bug, missed watching African Waters open his account over fences under a fine ride from Norman Williamson.
The 11 to 10 favourite looked set to finish runner-up when Conor O'Dwyer coaxed Laurel River into a two-length advantage after turning for home but with the final fence omitted Williamson conjured up a renewed effort.
