MELBOURNE CUP:DERMOT WELD packed his bags for Australia yesterday after a middle-of-the-night phonecall finally confirmed Profound Beauty had passed a veterinary exam and can be declared in the final field for Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.
Media speculation in Australia that Profound Beauty was slightly lame and could miss “the race that stops a nation” was dismissed after the traditional veterinary exam by Racing Victoria officials ahead of today’s final declaration.
The top 35 ranked horses in contention for one of the 24 places are checked by RV officials and Weld listened in to what was happening from his Curragh base.
“There wouldn’t have been much point travelling if she hadn’t passed but we knew she would. The Aussie media can get carried away and she can pull out a little stiff. She is six, rising seven, after all. But she is in great form and once they saw her exercise, everything was fine,” Weld’s son, Kris, said yesterday.
Weld has famously won Australia’s greatest sporting prize with Vintage Crop (1993) and Media Puzzle (2002) and Pat Smullen will team up with Profound Beauty, who was fifth two years ago.
Smullen believes the Irish mare has a “massive chance” if the ground isn’t too firm and there was encouraging news from down under yesterday as up to 50mms of rain is forecast to fall on Flemington today. Unsettled weather is due to continue until Tuesday.
Weather conditions could also impact on this weekend’s home action as heavy rain hit parts of the country yesterday which might not be ideal for Captain Cee Bee’s first start of the season at Naas this afternoon.
The Grade One-winning novice is due to take on just three opponents in the Grade Three Poplar Square Chase and very testing conditions could swing things Catch Me’s way.
Another Grade One winner due to appear today is Shinrock Paddy in the opener, while the Irish National heroine Bluesea Cracker will tackle flights in the Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle. Some smart National Hunt prospects line up in the maiden hurdle and The Bull Hayes looks a particularly interesting newcomer from the flat.
