Top Irish trainer Willie Mullins has flown to Australia to check up on his two Melbourne Cup runners Vauban and Absurde – but only stayed for 24 hours before returning back to Ireland.
Jet Set Willie: Mullins Checks In On His Melbourne Cup Runners Down Under
It takes over 24 hours to fly from Ireland to Australia – with a distance of 26,399km – but that’s exactly what champion trainer Willie Mullins did this week as he checked in on his two big Melbourne Cup runners Vauban and Absurde.
Mullins, who could have some runners at the Cheltenham Showcase Meeting this Friday and Saturday was, however, only on foot Down Under for less than a day himself – before jetting back to Ireland in time for his weekend entries.
On talking to Racing.com (watch below), Willie Mullins, who joined David Cassey in Australia, reports Absurde to be more grown up this time, than his Melbourne Cup tilt in 2023, when his former Ebor winner finished a fair 7th (of 23).
Absurde was also only beaten 5 1/2 lengths behind the 2023 Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight and gets in with just a pound more in weight this time – he’s set to carry (8st 4lbs, 52.5kg).
Mullins added “I’m much happier with him (Absurde) this year and he seems more mature. He just seems to have grown-up.”
WATCH: Willie Mullins Talking About His 2024 Melbourne Cup Runners Absurde and Vauban
“I’m much happier with him (Absurde) this year.”
Champion trainer @WillieMullinsNH has arrived in Australia to keep a close eye on his Melbourne Cup runners, Vauban & Absurde 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Jx3NFkDs8f
— Racing.com (@Racing) October 23, 2024
When Is The Melbourne Cup 2024?
📅Date: Tuesday 5th November 2024
⌚Time: 4:00am (GMT)
🏇Racecourse: Flemington (2m)
💰Winning Purse: £2,485,875
📺 TV: Sky Sports Racing
Vauban Reported To Be Fitter Than 12 Months Ago
The other Willie Mullins Melbourne Cup runner will be Vauban – who also ran in last year’s race.
But despite being sent off as favourite could only manage 14th under top jockey Ryan Moore.
Vauban will also carry a pound more than 12 months ago – with (8st 10lbs, 55.5kg) – with Mullins reporting the Rich Ricci-owned horse to be much fitter this year, than last.
Having raced him more through the summer with the idea of just having to freshening him up before the race as a result of that busier campaign.
Mullins also said that “it’s not part of the plan” for Vauban or Absurde to take in a racecourse gallop at Flemington Park, the home of the Melbourne Cup, before the race on November 5th.
The best horse racing betting sites in the UK make both Vauban and Absurde the general second favourite in the market, behind the St Leger winner Jan Brueghel.
There has also been support for another European runner Onesmoothoperator after his easy Geelong Cup win on 23rd October for trainer Brian Ellison.
Twilight Payment in 2020, for trainer Joseph O’Brien, was the last Irish-trained Melbourne Cup winner.
While Willie Mullins went close in 2017 when his Max Dynamite was third behind another O’Brien winner in the race – Rekindling.