Dermot Weld's decision to skip the Melbourne Cup and run his Irish St Leger hero Vinnie Roe in the Prix Royal Oak, the French equivalent, at Longchamp yesterday paid handsome dividends.
Under a confident ride by Pat Smullen the Irish raider powered through the mud to take the extended one-mile seven-furlong Group One by two-and-a-half lengths from Generic, with Germinis a neck back in third. With underfoot conditions placing the emphasis on stamina Vinnie Roe rose to the occasion brilliantly.
Smullen had the three-year-old ready to pounce turning for home tracking Germinis, attempting to follow up his Prix du Cadran win, and Mark Johnston's Yavana's Pace. Taking command early in the straight the 3.7 to 1 shot soon had his second all-aged Classic in the bag, with Generic coming from a long way back to grab the runner-up spot. Yavana's Pace was fourth.
Favourite Wareed, under Frankie Dettori, trailed in 12th of 13 runners before running out of stamina over half a mile out.
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