Vinnie Roe
Encyclopedia
Vinnie Roe is a retired Irish
Thoroughbred
racehorse and active sire. He won the Irish St. Leger for four years in succession (2001-2004) and was named European Champion Stayer
in the Cartier Racing Awards for 2002. He also became known internationally for his three attempts to win the Melbourne Cup
in which he finished fourth, second and eighth. He was officially rated the best stayer in the world on three occasions (2002, 2003, 2004). He was retired from racing in 2005 and is currently at stud in County Cork
, Ireland
.
, Ireland by Virginia Moeran. As a son of the National Stakes
winner Definite Article, he is a representative of the Byerley Turk sire line, unlike more than 95% of modern thoroughbreds, who descend directly from the Darley Arabian
. Aside from Vinnie Roe, Definite Article has sired the winners of more than four hundred races including the Geoffrey Freer Stakes
winner Lochbuie and a large number winners under National Hunt rules. Through Definite Article, Vinnie Roe is inbred
to the Champion Stakes
winner Lorenzaccio (see below). Vinnie Roe's dam Kayu, an unraced twin, was a successful broodmare, producing at least five other winners.
As a foal, Vinnie Roe was sent to the Goffs November sale and bought for 48,000 gns
. A year later he was sent to the Goffs Orby sale where he was sold for IR£50,000 to Dermot Weld
on behalf of the film director Jim Sheridan
, who named the horse after his nephew. Sheridan owned the horse in partnership with Antonio Balzarini, and over the course of his career, Vinnie Roe was variously described as being owned by Sheridan, Balzarini or both.
Vinnie Roe was trained throughout his racing career by Dermot Weld
at the Curragh
and was ridden in all but one of his races by Pat Smullen
. He was an easily recognisable runner, usually racing in blinkers
and a sheepskin noseband. Because of the differences in breeding seasons between the Northern and Southern hemispheres, Australian sources often describe Vinnie Roe as being a year older than his "official" age.
in June, staying on strongly to get up on the line and beat the filly Affianced by a head. In October he was stepped up to Group Three
class and finished third behind two Aidan O'Brien
-trained runners in the Beresford Stakes
at The Curragh
. On his final start of the year he returned to Leopardstown to record his first important win in the Listed
Eyrefield Stakes
, beating the future Tattersalls Gold Cup
winner Rebelline by one and a half lengths.
in the Ballysax Stakes
, the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial
and the Irish Derby and was also sent to Rome where he finished fourth to Morshdi in the Derby Italiano
.
He was then moved up to staying (Extended) distances and was unbeaten in his remaining four races. Three weeks after his run in the Irish Derby he was driven clear in the closing stages to win the Listed Challenge Stakes at Leopardstown by four lengths. A month later he stayed on strongly to take the Ballycullen Stakes at the Curragh by a head from the John Oxx
-trained favourite Pugin, who was receiving three pounds. The race illustrated Vinnie Roe's aptitude for longer distances, as Pugin had finished three lengths in front of him at level weights in the Irish Derby.
In the Irish St Leger
in September he faced a strong field headed by the 2000 English St Leger
winner Millenary
, the future Arc
winner Marienbard
and the double Champion Stayer Persian Punch
. Pat Smullen held up Vinnie Roe in the early stages as Persian Punch set the pace from Millenary before making his challenge in the straight. Millenary took the lead, but Smullen brought Vinnie Roe through to overtake him inside the final furlong and win by two lengths.
Vinnie Roe was then sent to Longchamp for the Prix Royal-Oak
and secured his second successive Group One win, this time over two miles. Smullen took him into the lead two furlongs out and he won by two and a half lengths, despite hanging to the right in the closing stages.
Dermot Weld decided not to send Vinnie Roe for the Melbourne Cup in 2001, as he believed that the journey would be too difficult for the three-year-old.
"easily" by four lengths. He was then sent to race in England for the first time and was made favourite for the two and a half mile Ascot Gold Cup
. He made a strong challenge in the straight to briefly take the lead but although he stayed on "gamely" he was headed again in the closing stages and beaten a neck by the gelding Royal Rebel in what the BBC
described as a "thrilling" race.
Two months later he won the Listed Ballyroan Stakes
at Leopardstown, holding off Millstreet by half a length while carrying a weight of 10-0 (140 pounds
). In September, he won his second Irish St Leger, beating Pugin by one and a half lengths, with Millenary and Warrsan
among the beaten horses. After the race Dermot Weld called him "a very brave horse, one of the toughest I have ever trained."
Vinnie Roe was then sent to Australia for the Melbourne Cup
. He was allotted a weight of 59 kgs
, three kilograms more than any other runner, but was nevertheless made favourite at 9/2. According to The Age
he was the "centre of attention" before the race and impressed observers including Bart Cummings
with a "brilliant" exercise gallop. In the race he settled well and was moved up to take the lead two furlongs out, but was then challenged and overtaken by his stable companion Media Puzzle
. He ran on under pressure, but was passed by Mr Prudent and Beekeeper in the closing stages to finish fourth. Weld described the performance as "a big run on a track that was too firm for him" and added, "he'll be back".
-trained three-year-old Powerscourt. Vinnie Roe was sent into the lead a furlong and a half from the finish and stayed on strongly to win by a length from the English four-year-old Gamut.
Although there was much speculation about a return to Australia, Vinnie Roe was sent to Paris, rather than Melbourne ,for his remaining two starts of 2003. He moved back down to one and a half miles for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
and performed creditably, taking fifth place behind Dalakhani
, but then ran his first genuinely disappointing race, finishing fourth to Westerner
when favourite for the Prix Royal-Oak
.
), and Vinnie Roe, the odds-on favourite was only able to close the gap to four and a half lengths by the finish. In August he stayed on strongly in the closing stages of the Ballyroan Stakes but was beaten a neck by the English-trained Foreign Affairs.
In the Irish St Leger, which was run in cold, wet conditions, he was made 7/2 joint favourite, with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Brian Boru the winner of the 2003 English St Leger. Smullen tracked the leaders before moving easily into the lead at the start of the straight. Vinnie Roe went clear and stayed on through driving rain to win by two and a half lengths. His performance was greeted with loud applause throughout the final furlong and he was given a "hero's welcome" as he returned to the winner's enclosure. Smullen commented that Vinnie Roe had "annihilated them" and that "he loves it when there is a bit of cut in the ground."
He returned to Flemington for a second attempt at the Melbourne Cup
in November and, as in 2002, he was given top weight. On this occasion he was given 58 kgs, which required him to give at least 2.5 kgs to the rest of the field which included the 2003 winner Makybe Diva
. Before the race, Weld expressed concern that the conditions would be too firm but decided to run after heavy rainfall softened the ground. Smullen produced Vinnie Roe with a strong run in the straight and took him into the lead a furlong out, but he was almost immediately overtaken by Makybe Diva racing on the inside, and finished second, beaten by one and a quarter lengths. After the race Weld said that the conditions had been ideal for his horse but that "the weight just caught him out."
, run that year at York
as Ascot
was being renovated. He ran prominently, but was unable to quicken in the closing stages and finished third of the seventeen runners behind Westerner. Both Weld and Smullen felt that the two and a half mile distance had been slightly too far for Vinnie Roe.
He finished third in the Ballyroan Stakes and then attempted to win a fifth Irish St Leger, despite having his preparation interrupted by a minor injury. He took the lead in the straight but could find no extra in the closing stages and finished third, beaten a length behind the English challengers Collier Hill
and The Whistling Teal.
On his final start, Vinnie Roe made a third attempt at the Melbourne Cup. Yet again, he was given top weight, although on this occasion he was joined on 58 kgs by Makybe Diva
. His task was made more difficult after he endured a "nightmare" journey, having to receive veterinary treatment for colic
on the flight and there were the usual fears about the possibility of firm ground. In the race he was settled in the middle of the field before staying on strongly in the straight, but could never reach the leaders and finished eighth of the twenty-four runners. After the race, Smullen, who knew that it would be Vinnie Roe's last run said that the horse "ran his heart out" and that it was "the end of an era."
Before his run at Flemington, Vinnie Roe was bought by the Coolmore
, and after the race he was retired to his new owners' stud.
In the 2003 and 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
Vinnie Roe was rated the equal-best horse in the world in the Extended distance division, with a rating of 119. In 2005 he was rated the fifth best horse in the world in the Extended distance division, with a rating of 116.
, County Cork
. He is marketed as a National Hunt sire with a stud fee for 2011 of €2,000.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse and active sire. He won the Irish St. Leger for four years in succession (2001-2004) and was named European Champion Stayer
Cartier Racing Award
The Cartier Racing Awards are awards in European horse racing, founded in 1991, and sponsored by Cartier jewelers. The award winners are decided by points earned in group races plus the votes cast by British racing journalists and readers of the Racing Post and Daily Telegraph newspapers.Eight...
in the Cartier Racing Awards for 2002. He also became known internationally for his three attempts to win the Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
in which he finished fourth, second and eighth. He was officially rated the best stayer in the world on three occasions (2002, 2003, 2004). He was retired from racing in 2005 and is currently at stud in County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Background
Vinnie Roe was bred in County TipperaryCounty Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, Ireland by Virginia Moeran. As a son of the National Stakes
National Stakes
The National Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
winner Definite Article, he is a representative of the Byerley Turk sire line, unlike more than 95% of modern thoroughbreds, who descend directly from the Darley Arabian
Darley Arabian
The Darley Arabian was one of three dominant foundation sires of modern Thoroughbred horse racing bloodstock, the other two being the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerley Turk. This bay Arabian horse was bought in Aleppo, Syria by Thomas Darley in 1704 and shipped back to Aldby Park in England, where...
. Aside from Vinnie Roe, Definite Article has sired the winners of more than four hundred races including the Geoffrey Freer Stakes
Geoffrey Freer Stakes
The Geoffrey Freer Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 5 furlongs and 61 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:The event was established in 1949, and it...
winner Lochbuie and a large number winners under National Hunt rules. Through Definite Article, Vinnie Roe is inbred
Inbreeding
Inbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents. Inbreeding results in increased homozygosity, which can increase the chances of offspring being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This generally leads to a decreased fitness of a population, which is...
to the Champion Stakes
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October...
winner Lorenzaccio (see below). Vinnie Roe's dam Kayu, an unraced twin, was a successful broodmare, producing at least five other winners.
As a foal, Vinnie Roe was sent to the Goffs November sale and bought for 48,000 gns
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
. A year later he was sent to the Goffs Orby sale where he was sold for IR£50,000 to Dermot Weld
Dermot Weld
Dermot K. Weld is one of Ireland's most successful racehorse trainers. He holds the record for the most winners trained in Ireland ....
on behalf of the film director Jim Sheridan
Jim Sheridan
Jim Sheridan is an Irish film director. A six-time Academy Award nominee, Sheridan is perhaps best known for his films My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father, Get Rich or Die Tryin and In America.-Life and career:...
, who named the horse after his nephew. Sheridan owned the horse in partnership with Antonio Balzarini, and over the course of his career, Vinnie Roe was variously described as being owned by Sheridan, Balzarini or both.
Vinnie Roe was trained throughout his racing career by Dermot Weld
Dermot Weld
Dermot K. Weld is one of Ireland's most successful racehorse trainers. He holds the record for the most winners trained in Ireland ....
at the Curragh
Curragh
The Curragh is a flat open plain of almost 5,000 acres of common land in County Kildare, Ireland, between Newbridge and Kildare. This area is well-known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the famous Japanese Gardens. Also...
and was ridden in all but one of his races by Pat Smullen
Pat Smullen
Patrick J. Smullen is a jockey and considered one of the top riders in Ireland. He has had many successes through his position as stable jockey to Dermot Weld.-Major wins: Ireland...
. He was an easily recognisable runner, usually racing in blinkers
Blinders
Blinders, also known as blinkers or winkers, are a piece of horse tack that prevent the horse seeing to the rear and, in some cases, to the side. They usually are made of leather or plastic cups that are placed on either side of the eyes, either attached to a bridle or to an independent hood...
and a sheepskin noseband. Because of the differences in breeding seasons between the Northern and Southern hemispheres, Australian sources often describe Vinnie Roe as being a year older than his "official" age.
2000: two-year-old season
Vinnie Roe made a winning debut in a maiden race at LeopardstownLeopardstown Racecourse
Leopardstown Racecourse is an Irish horse-racing venue. Like the majority of Irish courses, it hosts both National Hunt and Flat racing. Located in Leopardstown, County Dublin, 8km south of the Dublin city centre. The course was built by Captain George Quin and modeled on Sandown Park Racecourse...
in June, staying on strongly to get up on the line and beat the filly Affianced by a head. In October he was stepped up to Group Three
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...
class and finished third behind two Aidan O'Brien
Aidan O'Brien
Aidan Patrick O'Brien is an Irish horse racing trainer. Since 1996, he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables near Cashel in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud associates....
-trained runners in the Beresford Stakes
Beresford Stakes
The Beresford Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September or October....
at The Curragh
Curragh Racecourse
The Curragh Racecourse, usually abbreviated to The Curragh, is Ireland's most important Thoroughbred race track. It is situated on the Curragh plain near Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland.- History :...
. On his final start of the year he returned to Leopardstown to record his first important win in the Listed
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...
Eyrefield Stakes
Eyrefield Stakes
The Eyrefield Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Ireland which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 1 furlong , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October or early November.The event was previously called the Old Connell...
, beating the future Tattersalls Gold Cup
Tattersalls Gold Cup
The Tattersalls Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 110 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
winner Rebelline by one and a half lengths.
2001: three-year-old season
Vinnie Roe was campaigned over middle distances in the early part of his three-year-old season. He finished behind GalileoGalileo (horse)
Galileo is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He is best known for winning the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby Stakes, and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2001 and for his rivalry with the Godolphin champion Fantastic Light...
in the Ballysax Stakes
Ballysax Stakes
The Ballysax Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in April....
, the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial
Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial
The Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial is a Group 2 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.-History:...
and the Irish Derby and was also sent to Rome where he finished fourth to Morshdi in the Derby Italiano
Derby Italiano
The Derby Italiano is a Group 2 flat horse race in Italy open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Capannelle over a distance of 2,200 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
.
He was then moved up to staying (Extended) distances and was unbeaten in his remaining four races. Three weeks after his run in the Irish Derby he was driven clear in the closing stages to win the Listed Challenge Stakes at Leopardstown by four lengths. A month later he stayed on strongly to take the Ballycullen Stakes at the Curragh by a head from the John Oxx
John Oxx
John M. Oxx is a trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses. His stables are located on "The Curragh" of Kildare, the stables are named Currabeg Stables. His father, John Oxx Sr., was also a very successful trainer who won eight Irish classics and it was the younger Oxx's ambition to follow in his...
-trained favourite Pugin, who was receiving three pounds. The race illustrated Vinnie Roe's aptitude for longer distances, as Pugin had finished three lengths in front of him at level weights in the Irish Derby.
In the Irish St Leger
Irish St Leger
The Irish St. Leger is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
in September he faced a strong field headed by the 2000 English St Leger
St. Leger Stakes
The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
winner Millenary
Millenary
Millenary is a retired British Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He won the St. Leger Stakes in 2000, and, unusually for a Classic winner, stayed in training until the age of eight, winning many important races over middle and long distances....
, the future Arc
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
winner Marienbard
Marienbard
Marienbard was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse bred by Saif Ali and raced by Godolphin Racing. Out of the mare Marienbad, he was sired by the French Champion Three-Year-Old Colt, Caerleon, a son of the 1971 British Triple Crown champion, Nijinsky....
and the double Champion Stayer Persian Punch
Persian Punch
Persian Punch was a Thoroughbred racehorse trained in the United Kingdom. He was frequently heralded by the Racing Post and his fans as the most popular horse in training during the final years of his career. He had his own fan club and website....
. Pat Smullen held up Vinnie Roe in the early stages as Persian Punch set the pace from Millenary before making his challenge in the straight. Millenary took the lead, but Smullen brought Vinnie Roe through to overtake him inside the final furlong and win by two lengths.
Vinnie Roe was then sent to Longchamp for the Prix Royal-Oak
Prix Royal-Oak
The Prix Royal-Oak is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 3,100 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October.-History:The event was established in 1861, and it was initially...
and secured his second successive Group One win, this time over two miles. Smullen took him into the lead two furlongs out and he won by two and a half lengths, despite hanging to the right in the closing stages.
Dermot Weld decided not to send Vinnie Roe for the Melbourne Cup in 2001, as he believed that the journey would be too difficult for the three-year-old.
2002: four-year-old season
Vinnie Roe began 2002 by taking his fifth race in succession, winning the Listed Saval Beg StakesSaval Beg Stakes
The Saval Beg Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May....
"easily" by four lengths. He was then sent to race in England for the first time and was made favourite for the two and a half mile Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
. He made a strong challenge in the straight to briefly take the lead but although he stayed on "gamely" he was headed again in the closing stages and beaten a neck by the gelding Royal Rebel in what the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
described as a "thrilling" race.
Two months later he won the Listed Ballyroan Stakes
Ballyroan Stakes
The Ballyroan Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
at Leopardstown, holding off Millstreet by half a length while carrying a weight of 10-0 (140 pounds
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
). In September, he won his second Irish St Leger, beating Pugin by one and a half lengths, with Millenary and Warrsan
Warrsan
Warrsan was a Thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Ireland who competed in Europe and Asia. Owned and bred by Saeed Manana of the United Arab Emirates, he was sired by Caerleon, a son of the great Nijinsky, and out of the mare, Lucayan Princess.Conditioned by veteran trainer Clive Brittain, throughout...
among the beaten horses. After the race Dermot Weld called him "a very brave horse, one of the toughest I have ever trained."
Vinnie Roe was then sent to Australia for the Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
. He was allotted a weight of 59 kgs
Kilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
, three kilograms more than any other runner, but was nevertheless made favourite at 9/2. According to The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
he was the "centre of attention" before the race and impressed observers including Bart Cummings
Bart Cummings
James Bartholomew 'Bart' Cummings, AM is one of the most successful Australian racehorse trainers. He is known as the Cups King, referring to the Melbourne Cup, as the he has won the 'race that stops a nation' a record 12 times....
with a "brilliant" exercise gallop. In the race he settled well and was moved up to take the lead two furlongs out, but was then challenged and overtaken by his stable companion Media Puzzle
Media Puzzle
Media Puzzle , foaled in the United States was an Irish horse bred by Walter Haefner's Moyglare Stud Farm and owned by Dr. M. W. Smurfit. He was sired by Theatrical, the 1987 U.S. Champion Male Turf Horse, and out of the mare Market Slide by Gulch, the 1988 U.S. Champion Sprint Horse...
. He ran on under pressure, but was passed by Mr Prudent and Beekeeper in the closing stages to finish fourth. Weld described the performance as "a big run on a track that was too firm for him" and added, "he'll be back".
2003: five-year-old season
After his run in Melbourne, Vinnie Roe was off the course for nine months. He returned in August 2003 to win his second Ballyroan Stakes, winning by a head from Carpanetto, who was receiving seventeen pounds. In his attempt to win a third Irish St Leger he was opposed by five runners including the English St Leger winner Bollin Eric and the improving, Aidan O'BrienAidan O'Brien
Aidan Patrick O'Brien is an Irish horse racing trainer. Since 1996, he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables near Cashel in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud associates....
-trained three-year-old Powerscourt. Vinnie Roe was sent into the lead a furlong and a half from the finish and stayed on strongly to win by a length from the English four-year-old Gamut.
Although there was much speculation about a return to Australia, Vinnie Roe was sent to Paris, rather than Melbourne ,for his remaining two starts of 2003. He moved back down to one and a half miles for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
and performed creditably, taking fifth place behind Dalakhani
Dalakhani
Dalakhani is a thoroughbred race horse owned and bred by Aga Khan IV and trained by Alain de Royer-Dupré. He was sired by Darshaan covering Daltawa and is therefore half-brother to Daylami....
, but then ran his first genuinely disappointing race, finishing fourth to Westerner
Westerner (horse)
Westerner is a French-owned Champion Thoroughbred racehorse who competed successfully at racing venues across Europe. Bred by a Wildenstein family holding company, Westerner was raced by Alec Wildenstein. Trained by Elie Lellouche, in 2003 and 2004 in France he won back-to-back editions of the...
when favourite for the Prix Royal-Oak
Prix Royal-Oak
The Prix Royal-Oak is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 3,100 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October.-History:The event was established in 1861, and it was initially...
.
2004: six-year-old season
Vinnie Roe's first two starts of 2004 suggested that he might have passed his peak. In the Saval Beg Stakes the outsider Windermere was allowed to open up a huge lead ("a furlong" according to RTÉRaidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
), and Vinnie Roe, the odds-on favourite was only able to close the gap to four and a half lengths by the finish. In August he stayed on strongly in the closing stages of the Ballyroan Stakes but was beaten a neck by the English-trained Foreign Affairs.
In the Irish St Leger, which was run in cold, wet conditions, he was made 7/2 joint favourite, with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Brian Boru the winner of the 2003 English St Leger. Smullen tracked the leaders before moving easily into the lead at the start of the straight. Vinnie Roe went clear and stayed on through driving rain to win by two and a half lengths. His performance was greeted with loud applause throughout the final furlong and he was given a "hero's welcome" as he returned to the winner's enclosure. Smullen commented that Vinnie Roe had "annihilated them" and that "he loves it when there is a bit of cut in the ground."
He returned to Flemington for a second attempt at the Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
in November and, as in 2002, he was given top weight. On this occasion he was given 58 kgs, which required him to give at least 2.5 kgs to the rest of the field which included the 2003 winner Makybe Diva
Makybe Diva
Makybe Diva is a British-bred, Australian-trained Thoroughbred who became the first racehorse to win the famed Melbourne Cup on three occasions: 2003, 2004, and 2005. In 2005, she also won the Cox Plate. Makybe Diva is the highest stakes-earner in Australasian horse racing history, with winnings...
. Before the race, Weld expressed concern that the conditions would be too firm but decided to run after heavy rainfall softened the ground. Smullen produced Vinnie Roe with a strong run in the straight and took him into the lead a furlong out, but he was almost immediately overtaken by Makybe Diva racing on the inside, and finished second, beaten by one and a quarter lengths. After the race Weld said that the conditions had been ideal for his horse but that "the weight just caught him out."
2005: seven-year-old season
Vinnie Roe began 2005 by winning a second Saval Beg Stakes at the Curragh in May, before being sent to England for a second attempt at the Gold CupAscot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
, run that year at York
York Racecourse
York Racecourse is a horse racing track in the southwest of the city of York in North Yorkshire, England with a spectator capacity of 60,000. The most famous race to be held at York on an annual basis is the Ebor Handicap, which is run during the Ebor Festival meeting in August...
as Ascot
Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races...
was being renovated. He ran prominently, but was unable to quicken in the closing stages and finished third of the seventeen runners behind Westerner. Both Weld and Smullen felt that the two and a half mile distance had been slightly too far for Vinnie Roe.
He finished third in the Ballyroan Stakes and then attempted to win a fifth Irish St Leger, despite having his preparation interrupted by a minor injury. He took the lead in the straight but could find no extra in the closing stages and finished third, beaten a length behind the English challengers Collier Hill
Collier Hill
Collier Hill is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He was bred by the prominent American sportsman George W. Strawbridge, Jr. who was involved in both steeplechase and flat racing and who raced in Europe and the United States....
and The Whistling Teal.
On his final start, Vinnie Roe made a third attempt at the Melbourne Cup. Yet again, he was given top weight, although on this occasion he was joined on 58 kgs by Makybe Diva
Makybe Diva
Makybe Diva is a British-bred, Australian-trained Thoroughbred who became the first racehorse to win the famed Melbourne Cup on three occasions: 2003, 2004, and 2005. In 2005, she also won the Cox Plate. Makybe Diva is the highest stakes-earner in Australasian horse racing history, with winnings...
. His task was made more difficult after he endured a "nightmare" journey, having to receive veterinary treatment for colic
Horse colic
Colic in horses is defined as abdominal pain, but it is a clinical sign rather than a diagnosis. The term colic can encompass all forms of gastrointestinal conditions which cause pain as well as other causes of abdominal pain not involving the gastrointestinal tract. The most common forms of colic...
on the flight and there were the usual fears about the possibility of firm ground. In the race he was settled in the middle of the field before staying on strongly in the straight, but could never reach the leaders and finished eighth of the twenty-four runners. After the race, Smullen, who knew that it would be Vinnie Roe's last run said that the horse "ran his heart out" and that it was "the end of an era."
Before his run at Flemington, Vinnie Roe was bought by the Coolmore
Coolmore Stud
Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, South Tipperary in Ireland, is the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. It was established in 1975....
, and after the race he was retired to his new owners' stud.
Assessment
In the 2001 International Classification Vinnie Roe was rated the third best horse in the world in the Extended distance division, with a rating of 120. A year later he was rated the best horse in the world in the Extended distance division, with a rating of 120. and was named European Champion Stayer in the 2002 Cartier Racing Awards.In the 2003 and 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are compiled by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities , an organization established in 2003 with headquarters in Paris, France made up of members from around the world....
Vinnie Roe was rated the equal-best horse in the world in the Extended distance division, with a rating of 119. In 2005 he was rated the fifth best horse in the world in the Extended distance division, with a rating of 116.
Stud career
Vinnie Roe stands as a stallion at Coolmore's Grange Stud near FermoyFermoy
Fermoy is a town in County Cork, Ireland. It is situated on the River Blackwater in the south of Ireland. Its population is some 5,800 inhabitants, environs included ....
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. He is marketed as a National Hunt sire with a stud fee for 2011 of €2,000.
Pedigree
- Through his sire Definite Article, Vinnie Roe is inbredInbreedingInbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents. Inbreeding results in increased homozygosity, which can increase the chances of offspring being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This generally leads to a decreased fitness of a population, which is...
4x4 to Lorenzaccio. This means that Lorenzaccio appears in two separate place in the fourth generation of his pedigree. Lorenzaccio is best known for his defeat of NijinskyNijinsky IIThe racehorse Nijinsky was one of the greatest horses in Thoroughbred horse-racing history. He won the U.K. Triple Crown of racing. Retired to stud he became the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland and the Leading broodmare sire in North America.He was bred at E. P...
in the 1970 Champion StakesChampion StakesThe Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October...
.