Racing: Beauty on track for cup

Profound Beauty is put through her paces at Sandown. Photo / Getty Images

LONDON: Dermot Weld's classy mare Profound Beauty showed she was on track for another crack at the Melbourne Cup when she brought up a hat-trick of wins in the Listed Challenge Stakes at Leopardstown.

The Danehill six-year-old, beaten as odds-on favourite in the Group Three Curragh Cup (2816m) last start, had no such problems in Thursday's 2800m feature.

Sent out the 2-5 favourite under Pat Smullen, Profound Beauty was eased down on the line but still scored by 5 lengths from Drumfire.

"She's just a joy to train," Weld told the Racing Post.

"She's one of the best mares I've ever trained and will ever train.

"We'll think about her next race but the Yorkshire Oaks [August 19] would have to be a definite possibility.

"Obviously she'll be entered for the Melbourne Cup and we'll see what weight she gets.

"The Irish St Leger [September 11] is also a possibility.

"She's a superb racemare and has been so consistent down the years."

Profound Beauty was beaten less than three lengths when fifth to Viewed in the 2008 Melbourne Cup, and Irishman Weld was the first European trainer to capture Australia's most famous race with Vintage Crop in 1993.

He won it again with Media Puzzle in 2002.

- AAP