RACING: Dermot Weld steered his jeep towards the Curragh's sun soaked plain yesterday and declared: "It's a bit like Dubai - except for the sheep!" Ahead in the distance, the Old Vic gallop snaked through the bald landscape and on it cantered some horses from probably the second most powerful racing yard in the country.
After 30 years at the top of the tree, including ground-breaking international victories in Australia and the US, it would be excusable if Weld nursed just a little bitterness at having to settle for second best.
But if there is any resentment at the apparently limitless resources available to Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle, it is typically disguised with urbanity.
"I gave up pressure years ago," he assured the assembled media yesterday. "The reality is we're on a small island that has the best equine team in the world on it. That is tough, but it means that everyone's standard has to improve every year just to compete."
Last year, Weld took some satisfaction from training the same number of winners in Ireland as O'Brien (92.) Along with them came £2 million in prizemoney as well as a pair of St Legers with Vinnie Roe.
"This season, the numbers are a bit down. I've said I wanted to reduce for a number of years and no one believed me. But it has happened," he said.
There is now a "mere" 107 in training at Rosewell but there is more than a hint of quality among some of them and little attempt to hide the hope that more than one could reach the very top.
Easy Sunshine ran a close fourth to Lahinch in Sunday's 1,000 Guineas Trial and Weld estimates she would be lucky to rank fifth among the classic fillies in the yard.
"We are stronger in the fillies and the most forward of them looks to Dress To Thrill who ran second in the Moyglare last year. She is entitled to start off in either the French or the English Guineas," he reported.
Dress To Thrill looked superb but there was plenty to like too about the Group Three winner Saranac Lake who could reappear in the Athasi Stakes.
"When she won at Galway last year, I loved the way she attacked the hill. She still has to come a little in her coat but she is a lovely filly," he said.
Other fillies to note are Rum Charger and Steaming Home but come Irish Oaks time it could pay to remember Sun Seasons.
"She is a very big type who only won at Leopardstown last year through her class. She should show dramatic improvement," Weld believed.
It's a different story among the colts. If there is a star in the boys it will be either Jazz Beat, who won his only race last year at Gowran, or In Time's Eye who ran second to Sorcerous on his only start. There is no disguising the regard with which the camp hold Jazz Beat in. More than once, he is described as "magnificent, and as fine a looking horse as you could wish to see." Jazz Beat seems to have the same equable temperment as his double Leger winning stable mate Vinnie Roe who will be ultimately aimed at the Melbourne Cup in November.
By then another season will be drawing to a close and Weld will again measure his tally against the battalion from Ballydoyle. As always the 53-year-old is realistic but hopeful."If we can keep them healthy, we'll win races. You see, money can't always buy success. But it helps!"
