Battling Vinnie set to steal Aussies' thunder

13 April 2012

Look close enough and you will find that a pattern is slowly emerging regarding Australia's attitude to the Melbourne Cup. And, in the famous words of Corporal Jones from Dad's Army, it increasingly seems that "they don't like it up 'em".

Slowly yet surely, the top trainers in Britain and Ireland have made the race that stops a nation one of their top priorities.

But the locals seem to think that the spirit of international competition has gone quite far enough, thanks.

Take Bart Cummings and Robert Nason.

Legendary Australian trainer Cummings has won the most cherished prize in Australian racing no fewer than 11 times and is hoping to bring up the dozen in the early hours of tomorrow morning with the well-fancied Strasbourg.

However, it seems that the feisty Mr Cummings would rather bid for his 12th success without having any foreign rivals to worry about.

"I think we are being too nice to our English ancestors," he said.

"The Melbourne Cup is getting stronger, but if they keep compressing the weights then they will have to call it the UK Cup instead."

Nason takes an even stronger view on the British challenge. Driven by a rabid fear that allowing the leading betting exchange Betfair to operate Down Under would lead to the ruination of Aussie racing, the chief executive of Racing Victoria has taken the concept of cutting off your nose to spite your face to a whole new level by suggesting that British horses should be banned from running in the Cup.

"I would shut down the Spring Carnival if it meant getting rid of Betfair," he said.

"They can wheel in Kerry Packer and the Queen if they want to, but we will not be backing away from this stand."

Cummings seems to conveniently forget that no British-trained horse has ever managed to win the race despite the fact that plenty of highclass stayers have travelled half way round the world in a bid to do so over the last decade.

By contrast, leading Irish trainer Dermot Weld has won the race twice and is back in town again with a twopronged attack made up of Vinnie Roe and Media Puzzle.

Cummings is adamant that the local handicapper has given Weld's pair less weight than their form warrants in order to broaden the international appeal of the race.

"Dermot is a sweet talking chap and I'd say he has taken the handicapper out for lunch," he said.

The globe-trotting handler can certainly have few complaints about the way his horses have been treated at the weights this year.

Media Puzzle is a fresh horse after a light campaign and has been impressing the local workwatchers, but provided Weld gives him the goaheadto run, Vinnie Roe looks the one to lift the Cup this time around.

This battle-hardened warrior finished an excellent fourth here two years ago and looked every bit as good as ever when storming away from some smart horses to win the Irish St Leger for the fourth year running at the Curragh last month.

Weld has stated that he could withdraw Vinnie Roe if he feels that the ground at Flemington is too fast for a horse who has always been particularly well suited by some give underfoot. However, there has been plenty of rain in Melbourne over the last week and, with further showers possible, Vinnie Roe has the class and the courage to go very close indeed if he does take his chance.

As Jonesy used to say, the Aussies "don't like it up 'em".

But they might have to grin and bear it if Vinnie Roe lives up to expectations when the race that stops a nation reaches its climax tomorrow.

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