Vinnie Roe

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 Templemore Co. Tipperary (Ireland)

Background

Vinnie Roe was bred in County Tipperary, 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.

Racing career

2000: two-year-old season

Vinnie Roe made a winning debut in a maiden race at Leopardstown 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.

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 Galileo 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 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.

2002: four-year-old season

Vinnie Roe began 2002 by taking his fifth race in succession, winning the Listed Saval Beg Stakes "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
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