Roe returns in style
Vinnie Roe made the perfect start to his final season with a cosy success in the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown this evening.
Dermot Weld’s seven-year-old, a record-breaking four times winner of the Irish St Leger, was always travelling smoothly as his stable companion Mutakarrim set the pace in the 14-furlong Listed contest.
Pat Smullen on Vinnie Roe moved up to challenge the leader inside the quarter-mile pole. Quickening in good style the entire soon went clear to register a comfortable one-and-a-half-length call over Mutakarrim with Mkuzi third and smart hurdler Al Eile a respectable fourth.
The winner was having his first race since he finished second to Makybe Diva in the Melbourne Cup in November.
Weld had been concerned that the going at the Dublin track was too firm for Vinnie Roe but after walking the course he allowed his fine stayer to run.
“The ground was safe and I’m glad he ran,” Smullen told At The Races.
“We needed to get a run into him to set him up for Ascot (Gold Cup).
“I had a job to hold him four out, he was taking me so well into the race. When we straightened up I let him go and his turn of foot was just explosive.”
Weld added on At The Races: ``The ground was a little bit faster than we'd like. I walked most of the track and it was safe ground.
“Pat gave him a lovely ride. The horse was always travelling well and just turning for home he was always cantering. He tired a little bit with 10st 2lb on his back in the last furlong but that was to be expected.
“He was seven kilos heavier today than he was this day last year and that influenced me to run him.
“I needed to get a run into him before the Gold Cup, which is at York, which is the plan.
“He was beaten a head in the Gold Cup when he was only a four-year-old. A brilliant ride by Johnny Murtagh on Royal Rebel – that’s what cost us the race.
“So I’d like to have a crack at it. It’s his last year racing, he’s been a wonderful horse to train and he deserves to win a Gold Cup.”
Weld and Smullen were completing a 25-1 treble following wins with Hidden Charm (5-1) in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Median Auction Maiden and Sapphire Stone (6-4 joint-favourite) in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Maiden.
