Former Willie Mullins-trained galloper Vauban is on his third foray into the Melbourne Spring Carnival and will front up at Caulfield for the first time on Saturday.
Vauban had gone straight into the Melbourne Cup in his two previous trips, but after running 11th in last year’s Cup was purchased by Australian Bloodstock and transferred into the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable.
Waterhouse and Bott have Vauban on a path to the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4 again, but he will go to that race via the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on Saturday.
Vauban came to Australia on his first trip much heralded and was sent out favourite, but ‘melted’ in front of the big crowd, just as he did last year when sent out the third favourite at $8.
Waterhouse and Bott have work on mending Vauban’s antics pre-race and in the barriers and seem to be winning the battle, now the gelding just needs some luck to fall his way.
Vauban won at his first start for Waterhouse and Bott in the autumn and this campaign has been around the mark without luck going his way.
Waterhouse hopes Blake Shinn can work some of his magic.
Vauban arrived in Melbourne last week and Waterhouse said the gelding had thrived.
“His coat is gleaming. He’s a very happy horse,” Waterhouse said.
“Blake rode him the other day and was over the moon with him.
“It’s a hard race. They’ve all got their chance, and they’ve all got their reason for being there.
“They’ve been in the right races leading into the Cup to be competitive.
“But Vauban, he’s really happy, he’s healthy and he’s sound.
“He’s ready to pounce.”
Waterhouse said drawing gate 13 would suit Vauban as Shinn will be able to position him where he wants and not be locked away.
“I don’t think he’s had the right positioning in races. He’s been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but that’s just life sometimes,” Waterhouse said.
“Saturday’s race will suit him well. There will be good pace on. Blake will understand that, and he was my jockey in Sydney for a long time.”
While Caulfield can sometimes be seen as a graveyard for horses racing there for the first time, Waterhouse does not subscribe to that theory.
“He’s a horse that has travelled the world, so why won’t he handle Caulfield,” Waterhouse said.
“He’s there to win but it will also set him up nicely for Flemington.”
