Vinnie Roe was cut to 7 to 2 favourite for the Ascot Gold Cup after a scintillating return to action in last night's Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown.
Despite carrying 10-1, the double Leger winner accelerated four lengths clear of his opposition and was greeted with the word "magnificent" by Dermot Weld.
"He has done so well over the winter and is a magnificent horse now. If he gets the two and a half miles at Ascot, he will take beating. He is a stayer with speed," Weld said.
"Vintage Crop was only a neck off the Gold Cup but he didn't get the trip. What they have in common though is speed. Remember, last year he was running behind Galileo and Milan over 10 furlongs," he added.
Vinnie Roe raced without blinkers and could be without the blinds at Ascot too.
"We will think about it. They are not necessary but I've used them on even the bravest of horses. Ascot is the first target and the other one is the Melbourne Cup," Weld declared.
The winner races in the colours of the film director Jim Sheridan but Australian Mike Watt bought into Vinnie Roe during the winter.
Weld also revealed last night that he has ruled In Time's Eye out of the Epsom Derby. "He is a big immature horse and it would be the wrong move. We will wait for the Irish Derby instead," he said. "We may have a look at the Gallinule in between but that would mean running against older horses."
It was a rare blank evening for the Ballydoyle camp, with the newcomer Proud Beauty doing best of them in the opener behind Warrimoo.
Akanti won the auction maiden in good style despite not relishing the ground.
"He hated that but he is tough. He is in a couple of sales races but he has done his trick now," said Akanti's trainer Ger Lyons.
The 2001-2 jumps season had a low key ending at Clonmel last night but there are discussions under way about next season possibly ending at the Punchestown festival.
"It has been suggested that we end it at the Punchestown festival and it will be discussed at the next fixtures committee meeting," said the Horse Racing Ireland chief executive Brian Kavanagh.
Paul Carberry wound up champion jockey with 109 winners, while Philip Fenton is champion amateur on 24. Noel Meade is the top trainer with 83 winners and over €1.2 million in prizemoney.
Sligo's scheduled card for Sunday was cancelled yesterday due to the ground.
The new acting manager at Punchestown is Dick O'Sullivan who has been acting manager at Irish Thoroughbred Marketing.
Simeon was, as expected, supplemented for the Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby) yesterday at a cost of €60,000.
The Mark Johnston-trained colt, winner of the Group Three Heathorns Classic Trial on his latest start, will be the only British runner in Sunday's classic at Chantilly.
Aidan O'Brien is responsible for four of the 15 remaining entries - Diaghilev, Black Sam Bellamy, Castle Gandolfo and Temple of Artemis.
He has already saddled the winners of the English, French and Irish 2,000 Guineas this season.
Two of the leading domestic contenders - the unbeaten Prix Lupin winner Act One and the Prix Hocquart scorer Khalkevi - were also left in at the probables stage.
The O'Brien pair, Nostradamus and Creekview, are acceptors in the Group One Prix Jean Prat.
Timmy Murphy will return to the saddle at Stratford tomorrow for the first time since he was arrested last month and charged with indecent assault on a flight from Japan.
The 27-year-old jump jockey was charged with indecently assaulting a woman flight attendant on a plane to Heathrow on April 14th after partnering Cenkos in the Nakayama Grand Jump.
He was bailed earlier this month at Uxbridge Magistrates Court and is due to reappear there on June 13th for a committal hearing to send the case to a crown court.
Ina statement Murphy said: "I am pleased to be returning to riding and I am looking forward to building on last season's best-ever total of 98 winners.
"During the past five weeks I have been receiving treatment for alcohol-related problems and I am very grateful to all those who have helped me to get back to a position where I feel confident to return to riding.
"I now recognise what I have to do in order to cope with riding on a full-time basis and I hope to repay the support of those who are willing to grant me a chance to rebuild my career.
"I would like to thank everyone in racing who has supported me during the past weeks as I have been overwhelmed by their patience and understanding.
"I hope my riding will illustrate how much better I now feel and please understand that I cannot add to these thoughts until all other outstanding issues are resolved." Murphy has been riding out this week.
