Two talented Irish-trained stayers are on course for the 2024 Melbourne Cup in November after recording victories at the York Ebor Festival.
Vauban got the ball rolling, fending off Al Nayyir’s late challenge in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup to record his first victory of the season.
Willie Mullins’ charge had previously run well in top-class company this term, but had been unable to add a win to his glittering career CV.
Vauban was settled in midfield in the two-mile contest and was cantering all over his rivals under jockey William Buick heading into the final three furlongs.
Buick eased his mount into the lead and had enough left in the tank to stave off a sustained late run by Al Nayyir to prevail by a short head on the winning line.
Several Melbourne Cup betting sites reacted to the result by cutting Vauban from odds of 15.00 to 11.00 to emerge victorious in ‘the trace that stops the nation’ in November.
Owner Rich Ricci has made no secret about his desire to send Vauban back to Australia after he finished 14th in last year’s renewal.
The 2022 Triumph Hurdle winner was heavily backed by punters on that occasion, but Ricci believes he will perform much better this time sound.
“I don’t know what Willie wants to do next,” Ricci said. “He’s got an entry in the Irish St Leger but Melbourne still remains the plan – we’ll see what the handicapper does.
“He was very good today, he was ready to rock, he looked a picture and showed a great turn of foot. William thought he probably got there a little too soon, but he also said he was idling a bit in front.
“I wanted to see him run through the line today because I’ve had my niggles about the trip and he got it – just! That’s brilliant. Willie called me before the race and that does not happen very often unless there is something wrong. He said we had no excuse today and thought he’d go very close.
“His first run this year here (at York) was great, he ran a huge race in the Gold Cup (at Ascot) but he just didn’t stay and then at the Curragh it probably came a bit soon.
“We learned a lot from Australia last year. We did things different than in the past – we’d always gone in the second shipment and run later than he did. I just said to the team, ‘let’s start with Melbourne, let him tell us he’s not able to go and work back from that’.”
The Ebor Handicap also provided punters with a Melbourne Cup pointer as Magical Zoe landed a big gamble to book her place in the Flemington Racecourse showpiece.
Henry de Bromhead’s six-year-old mare swept into the lead under jockey Billy Lee with just over a furlong to run and soon had the race in safe keeping.
Magical Zoe is better known for her exploits over hurdles, but some shrewd placing by De Bromhead ensured she got into the Ebor on a favourable handicap mark.
The trainer praised Lee for his ‘brilliant’ ride and confirmed that the mare’s owners have their sights firmly set on a tilt at the Melbourne Cup.
“It’s a race (the Ebor) you grow up watching,” De Bromhead said. “I probably never dreamed I could win it, but here we are and we have.
“The lads that own her (Patrick and Scott Bryceland) were always keen to go on the flat. They said to start at the Ebor and work our way back and it’s incredible that it’s gone to plan.
“We had to have our three runs to qualify for a handicap mark. We were slightly on the back foot for that and we had to have them by 20th July but it all fell into place.
“With good horses, everything is a fraction easier. I love training good horses and training winners, but to come to a big meeting like this and have a winner here is the stuff you dream of.
“I know that Paddy wanted to go to Melbourne so we’ll see. We have a win and you’re in so now we really have to start thinking about that. That’s a possibility, absolutely.”