Vinnie Roe, ante-post favourite for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, will make his seasonal debut at Leopardstown on Thursday night. The four-year-old heads a field of seven for the Saval Beg Stakes, a Listed race over one mile and three-quarters.
The Dermot Weld-trained colt was a highly-progressive young stayer last season ending a lucrative campaign with victories in the Jefferson Smurfit Memorial St Leger and the French equivalent, the Prix Royal-Oak. Those two Group One successes mean he is lumbered with the steadier of 10st 1lb. The most serious dangers, however, are expected to be the John Oxx-trained Dibiya and Holy Orders, winner of his last two races for Willie Mullins.
Filed by Laura Reynolds
