Vauban posted equal favourite for 2024 Melbourne Cup after strong Irish St Leger second

Irish stayer Vauban showed he was on track for his second shot at the Melbourne Cup with his game second to a star stayer in the Group 1 Irish St Leger.

The Willie Mullins-trained Vauban shot back to the top of Melbourne Cup betting with a fighting second to one of the world’s top stayers in Sunday’s Irish St Leger.

Vauban chased home the Aidan O’Brien-trained Kyprios, finishing 2-¼ lengths from the winner in a terrific Melbourne Cup trial.

O’Brien flagged the possibility of Kyprios tackling the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris next month while Vauban will head into quarantine in the coming weeks to prepare for the trip to Melbourne.

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TAB promoted Vauban to $11 in its Melbourne Cup market, installing him as the equal favourite with Queensland Derby winner Warmonger, who finished fourth first-up in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington.

Vintage Crop was the first and last stayer to complete the Irish St Leger and Melbourne Cup double in 1993.

Twilight Payment ran third in the 2020 Irish St Leger before winning that year’s Melbourne Cup.

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Circle Of Fire eased from $13 to $15 after finishing more than 20 lengths from Mr Brightside when resuming in the Makybe Diva Stakes.

Point King was a Melbourne Cup firmer with his price tightening from $18 to $15 after he secured a Melbourne Cup start with his win in the Group 3 Archer Stakes.

Chief Racing Victoria handicapper David Hegan will announce the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup weights on Tuesday.

Originally published as Vauban posted equal favourite for 2024 Melbourne Cup after strong Irish St Leger second