Racing: Hopefuls digest Diva's victory

MELBOURNE - As in most places where horse racing is talked about, the topic of conversation among the northern hemisphere brigade at the Sandown quarantine centre in Melbourne yesterday was Makybe Diva.

On a morning when the Irish challenger Vinnie Roe and the English pair Franklin Gardens and Distinction all turned in strong training gallops, the Cox Plate winner was uppermost in everyone's mind.

In the Vinnie Roe camp the post mortem on Saturday's Cox Plate - and their chances of reversing last year's Melbourne Cup result - was summed up best by a shrug of the shoulders.

Asked if he had informed trainer Dermot Weld yesterday of the mare's success, travelling head lad Jeff Byrne almost laughed.

"No need," Byrne said. "He knew."

As for Irish thoughts on whether Makybe Diva would line up for her third Melbourne Cup win at Flemington on Tuesday week, Byrne was again to the point.

"We're not even thinking about the possibility of her not running," he said.

English trainer Mark Tompkins, who will run Franklin Gardens in the Melbourne Cup, was similarly impressed with Australia's greatest money-winning racehorse.

"She's a marvellous mare," Tompkins said.

"I saw her win the Melbourne Cup on television in England last year and I thought she was very good. I saw her again yesterday, she was wonderful."

But neither camp is conceding the A$5 million ($NZ5.42 million) race, particularly on the form both horses displayed on the training track.

Vinnie Roe galloped over 1600m, pouring on the pressure in the final 600m in a workout designed to take advantage of ground softened by two days of rain.

Said Byrne: "He's bright and he's alert and he's moving well. The wet track, that's the secret to him."

Byrne said Vinnie Roe had improved both physically and mentally since last year's Melbourne Cup.

"He's more mature now, a lot more sensible," he said. "He looks a stronger horse this year."

He also agreed that with Makybe Diva in the form she displayed on Saturday, he will need to be.

Vinnie Roe is likely to travel across town tomorrow for a gallop at Flemington with Franklin Gardens. Race jockey Pat Smullen will then give the horse his final hit-out on Friday or Saturday.

The pair could be followed to Flemington on Wednesday by Distinction.

The latter has also looked stronger this season and beat home Vinnie Roe when second in the Ascot Gold Cup in June.

Franklin Gardens yesterday did longer work than Vinnie Roe, but was equally impressive.

Tompkins said he was delighted with the horse, warning he shouldn't be underestimated. "He's a very good horse this horse ... a very decent horse," the trainer said.

Tompkins also revealed something of the esteem in which English trainers now hold the Melbourne Cup.

"You want to win the Epsom Derby and you want to win the Melbourne Cup," he said. "It's one of the world's best races."

To win it, they'll all have to beat one of the world's best horses.

- NZPA