Mullins eyes another Melbourne trip

The sale of Vauban, who made a winning return at Rosehill last Saturday, forced Willie Mullins to search for new Spring Carnival contenders and he might have unearthed one last week.

The master Irish trainer identified longshot JCB Triumph Hurdle winner Poniros as a potential Melbourne Cup contestant.

A four-year-old son of Golden Horn, Poniros – who is raced by Brighton and Hove Albion FC owner Tony Bloom – won the 3419m event at Cheltenham at 100/1 at his first start for Mullins.

Previously trained by Ralph Beckett, Poniros has eight starts for his original trainer with his only other win a 1709m maiden win on debut in October 2023 and Mullins outlined Melbourne aspirations for the gelding after the win.

“We bought him in October, schooled him and gave him a break. We said we’d better drag him in from the field and get him ready for Cheltenham, and that’s what we did,” Mullins said.

“But I didn’t expect any more than a nice run.

“I imagine he’ll go to Punchestown, and then we’ll find something at Royal Ascot, perhaps.

“He was bought as a dual-purpose horse, and I am hoping in time he might turn into a Melbourne Cup horse – that would be the long-term plan.”

Mullins has been represented at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November the past two years by Vauban and Absurde.

Vauban ran 14th as favourite in 2023 and 11th last year, after which he was sold to Australian interests and is now trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, who prepared him to win last Saturday’s Group lll Sky High Stakes (2000m).

Absurde finished seventh in the 2023 Melbourne Cup before improving to fifth last year.