Vauban and Absurde head European contenders in Melbourne Cup The European challenge in this year's Melbourne Cup is a strong one as Vauban and Absurde head once again to the spring carnival at Flemington on November 5. The Willie Mullins-trained pair contested the two-mile Group One last year, with Vauban sent off favourite in the hands of Ryan Moore only to disappoint on the day, coming home 14th of the 23 runners while Absurde was a creditable seventh. Vauban booked his ticket for this year’s renewal with victory in the Lonsdale Cup at York last month, while Absurde triumphed in the Listed Chester Stakes over the weekend. Mullins also has a third entry in Hipop De Loire, who finished fifth in the Ebor. A wealth of entries for Ireland The Henry de Bromhead-trained Magical Zoe gained an automatic Melbourne place when winning the Ebor and she is also part of a potentially strong Irish challenge that also features Aidan O’Brien’s team of Grosvenor Square, Illinois, Jan Brueghel, Point Lonsdale, The Equator and The Euphrates. Onesmoothoperator and Arrest top British entries There were no British-trained runners last year but Brian Ellison’s Northumberland Plate hero Onesmoothoperator and Arrest for the John and Thady Gosden team are entered up this time. Andrew Balding also has two possibles in Night Sparkle and Relentless Voyager, while Jean-Claude Rouget has entered Delius. Ex-British runner Without A Fight triumphed last year for Anthony and Sam Freedman and he features among the 123 initial nominations. Some other familiar names on the list include Poptronic, who is now with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott after winning on Champions Day for Karl Burke last year, Place Du Carrousel, 2020 Derby winner Serpentine and Middle Earth, who was a Group Three winner for the Gosdens earlier in the season but will represent Ciaron Maher.
