'He's such a remarkable horse' - Triumph winner Vauban strikes again during Cheltenham week in Sydney

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Vauban served a timely reminder of his talents in Australia on Saturday when claiming back-to-back victories in the Group 3 Sky High Stakes at Rosehill in Sydney. 

Less than 24 hours after his former trainer Willie Mullins and Rich and Susannah Ricci, who are still listed in the ownership of Vauban, capped a remarkable Cheltenham Festival with Gold Cup success courtesy of Gaelic Warrior, the combination's 2022 Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle winner showed he has plenty more to offer as he treads a path to a fourth Melbourne Cup attempt.

• 'Extraordinary' Gaelic Warrior is all class as he storms to Cheltenham Gold Cup glory for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend 

•  Rich Ricci deserves to have an exceptional Gold Cup winner - and Gaelic Warrior is certainly one of those 

Now trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and racing in the Australian Bloodstock colours, the eight-year-old was making his first appearance since his sixth-placed finish in the two-mile Flemington showpiece last November. 

He took a moment to gather himself at the top of the straight but soon challenged under Tim Clark, and asserted in the final half-furlong to score by a length from Soul Of Spain. Just Fine was another length away in third, while favourite Wootton Verni had every chance but faded to finish fifth.

Bott praised the gelding's durability after he secured the fourth Group win of his 30-start career. In winning for the second time in Australia, he also became the first multiple winner of the Sky High Stakes. 

“He's such a remarkable horse,” said Bott.

"Australia has really got behind him and so has the ownership group. He's been a great ride for them. He's here on the back of a Melbourne Cup campaign and he looks as good as ever.

"I'm really proud of the horse and hopefully he is set for a nice preparation. He gives you such tremendous satisfaction."

Vauban (Paul Townend) runs on from the final flight to win the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2022Credit: Edward Whitaker

Connections are working backwards from the Melbourne Cup and look set to give the Group 1 Sydney Cup over the same distance a miss, while the immediate target for Vauban is the Group 1 Tancred Stakes over 1m4f on March 28. Vauban was third in the contest last year behind the William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour, who is expected to line up again. 

"I'm not sure about the Sydney Cup this autumn but we will definitely go for the Melbourne Cup again,'' Bott said.

"I would like to go through the Tancred like we did last year. Arguably he's come back better this year and it looks to be a lovely race for him.

"He's going to be better suited as he gets deeper into the preparation and over a little bit further as well. We might also look at Brisbane [for the Queensland Winter Carnival] too.''

Winner rider Clark said last year’s Tancred might have been the Group 1 that got away for Vauban. 

“It just went a bit wrong last year, it might have been one that got away,” he said. 

“Hopefully in two weeks' time we can redeem ourselves. He feels like a spring three-year-old. I think that was a better win than this time last year.”

Read these next:

Vauban defies heatwave to win on debut for new Australian connections following A$2 million sale 

'The Melbourne Cup is the goal' - Vauban to stay in Australia after Rich Ricci sells star for A$2 million 

'Nothing compares to this feeling' - Jamie Melham seals historic Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double on Half Yours 

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