Willie Mullins’ talented stayer Vauban is returning for another attempt at the Lexus Melbourne Cup, alongside stablemate Absurde, both of whom arrived in Australia this week. Foreman Dave Casey shared that the horses have settled in well after their travels. “They went for a little hack just to stretch their legs, and this morning (Monday) we did a little canter,” Casey told the VRC from their base at the Werribee quarantine centre.
Since his 14th-place finish in last year’s Cup, Vauban has shown marked improvement, winning the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup Stakes at York and finishing second in the Group 1 Irish St Leger. Casey highlighted that this year’s preparation has been different, giving Vauban more races leading up to the Cup.
“Last year, we had to focus on qualifying him for the Cup, which left a long gap between races," Casey explained. “This time, we’ve decided to run him more often this year, and he’s come down a lot fitter. It didn’t work out last year, so we’re trying something different.”
Vauban’s connections are eager to prove his true ability at Flemington. “We felt we left something behind last year. His owners are keen to show he’s better than that, and we believe he is,” Casey said.
Absurde, who finished seventh in last year’s Cup, is another promising contender. He has been kept fresh to build on last year’s solid performance.
“Absurde ran really well last year, staying on the pace throughout. He’s in good shape and will come into the race fresh,” Casey added. Kerrin McEvoy will be aboard Absurde, while William Buick has the ride on Vauban.
