The Willie Mullins-trained duo Vauban and Absurde have fared nicely within the Lexus Melbourne Cup draw, being allotted stalls three and eight respectively.
Vauban is a agency favorite to win the race that stops a nation at Flemington on Tuesday – stay on Sky Sports activities Racing – after this season including some spectacular Flat kind to his high-class hurdling exploits.
The five-year-old romped dwelling by seven and a half lengths within the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot earlier than profitable the Group Three Ballyroan Stakes at Naas.
Absurde was runner-up to his stablemate at Ascot and has since claimed victory within the Ebor at York.
Mullins completed second in Australia’s largest race again in 2015 with Max Dynamite and believes he has the ammunition to go one higher this time.
Ryan Moore is ready to companion Vauban and Mullins stated: “I feel he is nearly as good as Max Dynamite and perhaps higher, we’ll discover out that on Tuesday.
“It is our strongest probability ever, it most likely can be my strongest probability ever.
“We would not need to neglect Absurde both, he did it very nicely with Frankie (Dettori) within the Ebor, Frankie gave him a terrific trip there.
“He has quarantined very nicely, and I feel he is in nice form.”
Zac Purton has been booked to trip Absurde and Mullins feels he has improved since clashing with Vauban on the Royal assembly.
“I feel it should be a unique race and I feel Absurde goes to be a unique horse as nicely,” added the Irish coach on racing.com.
Frankie Dettori celebrates after profitable the Ebor at York on Absurde
“He is discovered to settle an excellent bit extra and now that he is obtained a pleasant draw, I feel he’ll be capable of put him the place he needs him and that’ll make an enormous distinction.
“There was most likely 20 lengths between them passing the profitable publish the primary time round at Royal Ascot, there will not be that right here, I hope.”
Joseph O’Brien has already despatched down two earlier winners in Rekindling and Twilight Fee and this time depends on Okita Soushi.
He was additionally a Royal Ascot scorer within the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes however struggled within the Caulfield Cup final trip and is an outsider right here after being drawn out broad in stall 20.
Defending champion Gold Journey will line up alongside Vauban in stall two, former William Haggas inmate Soulcombe is in 4 and Caulfield Cup hero With out A Combat, beforehand educated by Simon and Ed Crisford, has drawn 16.
Watch the Melbourne Cup assembly from Flemington stay on Sky Sports activities Racing from 11pm on Monday evening with the large race due off at 4am.