Irish training legend Dermot Weld is relaxed and confident about the chances of Galileo's Choice giving him a third Emirates Melbourne Cup victory at Flemington. Weld, who arrived from the Breeders' Cup meeting in the USA yesterday, saw Galileo's Choice for the first time since the horse left Ireland for Australia more than a month ago."He had a problem with transit fever when he first arrived but he was able to be treated and got over it very quickly," Weld said."He has improved

Irish training legend Dermot Weld is relaxed and confident about the chances of Galileo's Choice giving him a third Emirates Melbourne Cup victory at Flemington.

Weld, who arrived from the Breeders' Cup meeting in the USA yesterday, saw Galileo's Choice for the first time since the horse left Ireland for Australia more than a month ago.

"He had a problem with transit fever when he first arrived but he was able to be treated and got over it very quickly," Weld said.

"He has improved every week he's been here and I'm delighted with the horse. He is a very talented galloper."

Trying to compare Galileo's Choice with his previous Cup winners Vintage Crop (1993) and Media Puzzle (2002), Weld said "he's more of a Media Puzzle sort of horse who'll represent us very well."

Within an hour of his arrival on Sunday, Weld, often critical over the years of the track conditions for the Melbourne Cup, was inspecting the course proper at Flemington.

"I think it is in the best condition I've seen it in 20 years," Weld said. "Full credit to Mick Goodie and Mark Davies. The track is in superb order and should be suitable for every horse."

Ridden by his race jockey Paddy Smullen, Galileo's Choice had an easy canter over about 2000 metres this morning.

Weld said he had enjoyed a very good year which included a Group 1 success at Royal Ascot and the return to the winner's list on Champions Day at Ascot of his Gold Cup winner Rite Of Passage after 510 days off the scene.

"That was very pleasing and I think I've trained more group winners this year than Aidan O'Brien," Weld added.

French trainer Mikel Delzangles, who's also just returned to Melbourne from the Breeders Cup, said he this morning was happy with the condition of defending champion Dunaden.

"If he can get the same sort of run he had last year he will be in the finish," Delzangles said. "I'm confident that he has improved from the Caulfield Cup."

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