Vinnie Roe can prove that he is a stayer of the highest class by giving Ireland only their fourth Gold Cup triumph in more than 50 years at Royal Ascot tomorrow. Irish victories in the long-distance championship are to be cherished with Gladness (1958), Levmoss (1969) and Enzeli (1999) taking the Group One prize back to the Emerald Isle in living memory.
Vinnie Roe cannot only join that elite in tomorrow's Group One showpiece but he can show that he is ready to dominate the staying division for a long time to come. Good enough to compete in two Derbys last season - the Italian (fourth) and Irish (seventh) - the Dermot Weld-trained colt only came into his own when stepped up to a mile and three-quarters and beyond.
He ended his three-year-old campaign by winning his last four races, culminating in two Classics, both against older horses. The way he stamped his authority in the Jefferson Smurfit Memorial St Leger to score from talented elders Millenary, Marienbard and Persian Punch was a mark of tip-top stayer.
And he followed up his Curragh success in the French St Leger (Prix Royal Oak) by two and a half lengths from the six-year-old Generic. He could not have been more impressive on his seasonal debut in a Listed race at Leopardstown three weeks ago when he carried 10st 1lb to victory by four lengths from Crimphill.
Now he has to go more than a half a mile further than he has ever done before but his relaxed style of racing suggests that he will be in his element and with 17 horses going to post tomorrow he should get plenty of cover before the punishing slog to the line begins.
Filed by Shane Murray
