RACING:DERMOT WELD is set to hand his 18-year-old apprentice jockey Leigh Roche a massive big-race opportunity on board the highly fancied Universal Truth in this Saturday's Totesport Cesarewitch at Newmarket.
Universal Truth is currently disputing favouritism with another Irish hope, Admiral Barry, in ante-post betting for the prestigious two-and-a-quarter mile marathon on Champion Stakes day.
Weld also plans to run Majestic Concorde in the Cesarewitch with stable jockey Pat Smullen on board but Universal Truth is among the bottomweights and the Curragh trainer intends to use Roche’s claim on the other Dr Ronan Lambe-owned horse.
Universal Truth has won five of his nine starts, including a maiden hurdle at the Galway festival during the summer, and bookmakers rate him Weld’s best hope of adding to Vintage Crop’s 1992 success in the Cesarewitch.
Roche is set to be the most inexperienced rider in the big race having ridden just 15 winners in his career to date. They included a Galway festival success on board Weld’s Easy Mate in a valuable handicap.
“The plan is for both Majestic Concorde and Universal Truth to run provided the ground isn’t too soft. Pat will be on Majestic Concorde and Leigh Roche will ride Universal Truth if he gets in. Leigh has had one ride in England already and ridden a winner there,” Weld said yesterday.
The legendary Irish trainer also sent Profound Beauty on her way to Australia yesterday for another attempt at the Melbourne Cup at the start of next month.
The Moyglare Stud-owned mare, who finished fifth in 2008 at Flemington, flew out of Manchester yesterday and faces a marathon journey to Melbourne via Dubai and a six-hour stopover in Hong Kong.
Overseas plans are on hold, however, for the Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Bethrah who will not now travel to Toronto for this weekend’s EP Taylor Stakes at Woodbine. “We will decide in the coming week, after consulting with Angus Gold (Sheikh Hamdan’s racing manager,) if she will run again this season,” said Weld.
He also nominated Leopardstown’s Trigo Stakes as a likely next target for his ultra-consistent older horse Famous Name who was out of the money in his last start at Woodbine last month.
