Vauban still value for Melbourne Cup after one heck of a form boost

We are fully accustomed to the strength in depth Willie Mullins possesses over jumps, but after the Ebor he seems to have quite a stranglehold on the Melbourne Cup – although he would never admit it.

Absurde won the Ebor at York on Saturday, doing well to edge ahead close home having looked like getting swamped, and ordinarily you could fancy him for a Melbourne Cup, which was mooted afterwards.

But what does this mean for Vauban? He beat Absurde by seven and a half lengths off level weights at Royal Ascot, so surely if he copes with the not insignificant travel issues of jetting to the other side of the world, he has to have a great chance of winning at Flemington.