Can Vinnie make it St Leger No. 5?
Saturday, 17 September 2005: That is the question you are asked all over Ireland at the moment and the big day is Saturday 17 September. Favourite for the big race is the Aiden O’Brien runner Yeats, who is at around 9/4. Vinnie Rose and Shalapour are around 5/2 – 3/1 depending where you look. Shalapour was second behind Scorpion in the Irish Derby, form that was franked by Scorpion’s win in the English St Leger last weekend. Vinnie Roe first came to attention after winning his maiden at Leoardstown over 1400m in 2000, and he has since become another living legend of a horse. The feeling is that should he win tomorrow the Curragh will go into orbit! Should Vinnie run well and pull up well, he will be off to Quarantine in preparation to a visit to Melbourne. Two other runners in the race – among the four English challengers – are Collier Hill and Franklin Gardens. Shalapour’s stablemate Mkuzi is also in with a chance, as is Gamut, probably the best credentialled of the UK runners. Prior
