'Didn't work last year': Fresh approach has Vauban primed for Melbourne Cup revenge
One of the favourites for this year's Lexus Melbourne Cup will come into the race with a "different" approach after failing to fire in 2023.
Willie Mullins' overseas raider Vauban is back for another tilt after finishing 14th in last year's race and will bring some eye-catching form to Flemington.
The seven-year-old gelding arrived in Australia this week alongside stablemate Absurde, with both runners featured near the top of the Cup market.
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Vauban has raced five times since last November's disappointing effort in Melbourne, taking out the Group 2 Londsale Cup Stakes in York and finishing second behind Kyprious in the Group 1 Irish St Leger Stakes one month ago in Curragh.
Melbourne Cup hopeful Vauban in training at Werribee. Getty
Foreman Dave Casey explained the change in preparation stemmed from the ownership's desire to give Australia's greatest staying race another crack.
"Obviously he had to qualify last year ... so once we got him qualified, we wanted to make sure we were able to get him here and it ended up being a long time between runs we felt for him," he told the VRC from their Werribee base.
"We decided to run him more often this year and send him down here a whole lot fitter than he was coming here last year. It didn't work the way we did it last year, so we'll try something different and see how we get on.
"Vauban has had his few runs this year. He won the Lonsdale in York and ran very good behind Kyrprios last time out in the Irish St Leger. He's had a really good preparation.
"We just felt we left something behind with Vauban as well. His owners were very keen to come back and have another go and he's better than he showed last year.
"Hopefully we will be proven right."
Vauban is rated an $8 chance for the feature race at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November, with the aforementioned Absurde at $15 odds.
Melbourne Cup hopeful Absurde in training at Werribee. Getty
After a win in late-August, the talented gelding will be kept fresh with hopes of improving on a gallant display in last year's Cup.
"Absurde ran really well [last year], he finished seventh and had been on the pace - everything that was involved came from way off the pace," Casey said.
"Both horses seemed to travel very well. They've been here before, they know what it's like. They ate and drank plenty on the plane. Since they've arrived in Werribee, both horses have been very good.
"They haven't done a whole lot since they arrived … delighted with both so far."
Outright favourite Van Brueghel ($5), trained by Aiden O'Brien, has also touched down in Victoria and begun preparatuions at Werribee.