Vauban bids to book his Melbourne Cup ticket at Naas on Monday afternoon. © Photo Healy Racing
Vauban is the star attraction at Naas on Monday, as the top-class hurdler bids to follow up Royal Ascot success in the Ballyroan Stakes and seal his ticket to the Melbourne Cup.
The 2022 Triumph Hurdle hero spent the last season plying his trade in top-class two-mile races over obstacles, chasing home stablemate State Man in three Grade One events as well as finishing fourth behind the mighty Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The Rich Ricci-owned five-year-old successfully reverted to the Flat at the Royal meeting in June, making much of the running and powering seven and a half lengths clear in the hands of Ryan Moore.
Vauban steps up to Group Three level for this latest assignment, in what is an important next step for the ante-post favourite on the road to the ‘race that stops a nation’ in Flemington on November 7.
Mullins said: “He’s in good form after his race at Ascot. Naas is only up the road rather than having to travel him to England and hopefully he’ll run well enough to qualify for the Melbourne Cup (needs to be placed in a Group race).
“It’s a shorter trip and probably different ground to Ascot. It also gives us time if things don’t go right to run again.
“All being well, Melbourne is the plan.”
Vauban’s rivals include Noel Meade’s Group Three and Group Two winner Lafayette and the Joseph O’Brien-trained Valiant King who was beaten just a head by the King and Queen’s subsequent Gordon Stakes winner Desert Hero in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot.
