Weld equals record

Dermot Weld will have six chances to change the history books today after equalling Senator J J Parkinson's all-time record total of 2,577 winners trained in Ireland at Galway yesterday.

The Curragh trainer runs three horses at Cork this afternoon, including Theoretically in the Listed Platinum Stakes, and another three at Naas.

"I've just missed out on breaking the record today but maybe it will happen tomorrow, or at Roscommon on Tuesday. If it happens, it happens," Weld said before nominating Theoretically and Lammas in the sixth race at Cork as his two best hopes. He also mentioned his runner in the first race at Naas, Degree Of Chance, as holding a good chance.

Weld (52) has been training for 28 years and it was the 11 to 10 favourite Worldly Treasure who hit the 2,577 mark when winning the WAP Race by half a length yesterday under jockey Pat Smullen.

"It means a lot to me. It's a life's achievement, a life's work, and I'm very proud of the consistency that we've had," said Weld who again stated his intention to reduce the number of horses he will train in future.

It was his ninth success of the festival week for Weld, one short of his personal Galway best of 10, and his 54th of the year 2,000. Weld's first ever winner as a trainer was Spanner at Galway in 1972.

Senator Parkinson's first winner came at the now defunct Carlow track in 1896 and his last was at Down Royal in 1947. "His record has lasted so long that it will mean a lot to me to break it," Weld said.

Weld's best ever year was 1991 when he trained 150 winners but when asked to nominate the highlight of all his winners, he plumped yesterday for Vintage Crop in the 1993 Melbourne Cup.

"That was special and I've always got a lot of satisfaction from winning good races around the world," said Weld. "But this record is about winners trained in Ireland and of those I would have to point to Zagreb's Derby win as being memorable."

Today, Pat Smullen travels to Cork to ride Theoretically and Lammas, as well as La Stellina in the opening two-year-old maiden. Weld's runners at Naas are Degree Of Charm in the first race, Georgia Peach in the second and Abaco in the sixth contest.