RACING: The Vinnie Roe team are ready to welcome any bad weather with open arms this week as their star stayer bids for an historic fourth success in a row in Saturday's Irish Field St Leger.
Dermot Weld may also run the 2002 Melbourne Cup hero Media Puzzle in the race but it's impossible to ignore how Vinnie Roe has dominated the final classic of the Irish season.
The Jim Sheridan-owned star was reported in good shape yesterday but an easier racing surface at the Curragh will be vital to his chances of making it four in a row.
"I'm walking the Curragh every day and it is very firm at the moment," said Weld's son, Mark, yesterday. "He will appreciate any ease we get and with an unsettled forecast we will hopefully get beautiful ground." He added: "Everything is fine with Vinnie Roe and Media Puzzle is a possible as well. If it's extreme going either way he would be doubtful but on good ground Media Puzzle would be a probable."
Powerscourt represented Aidan O'Brien in last year's Leger but he will most likely rely on the older horse Brian Boru, this time round. The 2003 Doncaster Leger winner was an unlucky runner-up to Gold Medallist in the Prix Kergorlay at Deauville last month. Along with the Oaks, the Leger is the sole Irish classic that O'Brien has failed to win in his meteoric career to date.
The run of form figures next to Clonard's name suggests the seven-furlong auction maiden at Roscommon this afternoon might be a race too soon but the horse can jump the sequence to break his racing duck.
There was plenty to like about the way he ran third on his last start at Gowran and on the back of a Galway fourth to Defi it showed a two-year-old going in the right direction. Babble On is 11lb higher for a four length success at Galway last week but it could be another Ballybrit scorer Penny Rich that might be a better option on softer going.
