RACING: Dermot Weld was last night playing down the chances of Vinnie Roe emulating the epic 1993 Melbourne Cup triumph Of Vintage Crop.

The Irish trainer created history nine years ago but although he rates Vinnie Roe the best stayer he has trained since Vintage Crop, Weld is not singing a particularly confident tune to the locals this time.

"I just think Vinnie Roe has it all to do. He has a lot of weight to carry and I am a little bit concerned that I haven't got him right back with the gloss and the shine on his coat that he left home with," he said.

Weld said Vinnie Roe's correct racing weight is 461kg and he is currently weighing in at 458kg.

Nevertheless, it wasn't enough to stop Vinnie Roe working impressively at Sandown Park yesterday morning when he came out two lengths ahead of the other Weld contender Media Puzzle in a a routine canter.

Afterwards the Curragh trainer admitted he is not as confident about Vinnie Roe as he was before the 1993 edition of the race that stops a nation. Instead he played up the chances of Media Puzzle who has already won the Geelong Cup during his trip down under and will be ridden by Damian Oliver in the big race.

"Media Puzzle has travelled well, he's on holidays and he thinks it's great. He loves Australians, he thinks they're all great guys and it's the only place to be. He can't wait to get more action. The other guys's not so sure," he said.

"If Vinnie Roe had travelled here to his maximum, and been in superb order here, he'd be a very worthy favourite. The trip has left a mark on him," added Weld who has a sneaking fancy for Michael Stoute's Daliapour.