Racing: Vinnie Roe camp make united plea

MELBOURNE - Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen make an incongruous pair.

Weld, the master Irish trainer, is tall, dapper, charming and extremely quick-witted.

Smullen is sullen. He gives the impression he wouldn't crack a smile if he won the lottery.

But the pair were united at Melbourne's Sandown racetrack international press conference yesterday morning - both were pleading.

Weld was pleading with the Victoria Racing Club to pour water on to Flemington to create what he called a 'safe' track for the last racetrack appearance of his wonderful Irish stayer Vinnie Roe in tomorrow's A$5 million Melbourne Cup.

Smullen was pleading with journalists not to describe him as a moron for sitting three wide throughout in Vinnie Roe's two previous Melbourne Cup attempts.

Weld certainly had the better chance of success, although the journalists, who have slain Smullen in two trips to Australia, were at least finally listening to his argument that his two efforts on Vinnie Roe did not amount to bad riding.

In his many trips to the Melbourne carnival, Weld has continually called for the avoidance of a hard, or even firm, Flemington surface, which he says European horses cannot perform on, but worse, end up leg sore after the Melbourne Cup.

His son Mark said at Saturday night's Melbourne Cup barrier draw that the camp would have no hesitation scratching Vinnie Roe as late as one hour before the cup if they felt the footing was too hard.

Dermot Weld reiterated the line.

Lee Freedman has said pretty much the same about his champion mare Makybe Diva.

It won't happen. The Victoria Racing Club need Makybe Diva and Vinnie Roe like a flame needs oxygen and if it takes a watered track to get them to Australia's greatest horse race then a watered track it will be.

The problem lies in the weather. Temperatures around 28C are forecast for tomorrow and Flemington, Australia's fastest-drying racetrack, could bake under a hot sun regardless of how much irrigation the VRC apply.

Weld is keenly aware of that, which is why he is keeping his options open.

"Vinnie Roe is a very valuable horse. He's retiring to Coolmore Stud after this and I won't be risking him."

Weld has won major races around the world and two Melbourne Cups with Vintage Crop and Media Puzzle. But he has extraordinary admiration fore Vinnie Roe and it was clear yesterday he would give anything to win the cup with the horse he describes as his mate.

"Yes, it would be a very emotional moment - he's been a great servant for me.

"He's an amazing racehorse with tremendous courage, guts and will to win. He's got a wonderful engine."

That engine kept Vinnie Roe in the action when Makybe Diva drew alongside 220m out in last year's cup, despite sitting three and four deep.

"When I made my run on the home turn last year, I was certain I had the race won," said Smullen.

"I couldn't believe it when that mare [Makybe Diva] dashed at us."

In Australia, where every metre of a horse race is measured and analysed over and over, the call came up that Smullen's ride had cost Vinnie Roe the Cup.

Smullen's frustration was obvious when he was surrounded by a dozen journalists after the official part of the press conference.

"It's going to be difficult to get you boys to stop criticising me for being too wide. I've never said this before in my defence, but on a horse like Vinnie Roe I need to be going forward when I need to be going forward.

"The last thing I need to be doing is stop-starting during the race. With the weights he carries, that would bring him undone.

"I think what I do is the best way to ride the horse."

Smullen said the only pressure he feels is: "To get it right for Vinnie Roe - to send him off to stud the right way. It's not about whether Dermot or myself deserve this race - Vinnie Roe deserves it."

On a very unsuitable firm surface, Vinnie Roe finished fourth behind his winning stablemate Media Puzzle in 2002 and was very sore when he got off the float that night.

"He looked in great shape in light work at Sandown yesterday after a travel scare on his way to Australia.

"He's made a great recovery. He's not a good traveller at any time, but he always starts to do well as the race approaches."

Weld advised punters to ignore that Vinnie Roe won the Irish St Leger four years running before being beaten this year.

"He had a physical problem, which cost him five days work. It cost him the race, but he's terrific now."