RACING:A PRE-RACE build up that left her trainer, Dermot Weld, "stressed and hassled" could still wind up with Profound Beauty securing a memorable Melbourne Cup success early tomorrow.
The Irish mare will attempt to follow in the footsteps of Vintage Crop (1993) and Media Puzzle (2002) when she lines up for the 150th renewal of “the race that stops a nation” at Flemington Park.
Jockey Pat Smullen has played down fears that a stall 22 draw in the field of 24 runners, which includes nine international runners from six countries, will be major factor in the €4.2 million highlight.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with her. She’s a better mare than when she ran here two years ago (fifth.) But she’ll need to be to win,” he said yesterday.
However, Ireland’s leading jockey in 2010 will be relieved that Profound Beauty is lining up at all after Thursday’s events, which at one time threatened to have Racing Victoria officials stopping the mare from running on veterinary grounds.
Weld reportedly issued an ultimatum, by phone from the Curragh, to the Racing Victoria chief steward, Terry Bailey, that he had two hours to clear Profound Beauty to run.
After a work-out at her training base, the Irish runner was passed fit to run.
The trainer’s son Mark, who was in Melbourne, described his father as being “stressed and hassled” by the incident, and added: “We didn’t come here on tour. We didn’t come here for fresh air. We came here to win.”
Smullen rode Profound Beauty in that piece of work and told local reporters: “I was led to believe she was hopping lame, but from the moment I set eyes on her I knew she was fine.”
Whereas an outside draw is not ideal for Profound Beauty, it is worse for last year’s winner, Shocking, who is in 24, and crucially ground conditions look to have turned in the Irish runner’s favour.
Heavy run drenched Flemington at the weekend, but even that didn’t stop Australia’s superstar runner So You Think from routing his opposition in a 10-furlong Group One on Saturday.
The son of High Chaparral is being upped to two miles for the first time, but he is a hot-favourite to secure legendary trainer Bart Cummings, who has been in hospital with respiratory problems for the past week, a 13th Melbourne Cup victory.
Godolphin, who have finished runner-up in the race on three occasions, this time have Holberg (Frankie Dettori) and Campanologist (Kerrin McEvoy) attempting to break their duck.
Luca Cumani, twice a runner-up, has two runners, Bauer and Manighar.
The French hope Americain has already made an impression Down Under by winning the Geelong Cup, a race won by Media Puzzle before his big day eight years ago, while the ex-Irish Mr Medici flies the Hong Kong flag.
Apart from Weld, the only Northern Hemisphere winner of the Cup was Delta Blues in 2006, and Japan is represented by Takai Trick this time. The Melbourne Cup is due off at 4am tomorrow and can be seen on the Attheraces channel.
