"We’re having a ball" - Vauban into 11/4 for Melbourne Cup after sparkling gallop

Willie Mullins' raider has been the firm favourite for the Melbourne Cup ever since he was declared for the race. Vauban won his first flat race in Britain in sparkling fashion at Royal Ascot, before following up in a Listed race at Naas.

Punters who took the 7/2 that was readily available at the start of last week will have been delighted when footage emerged of Vauban working alongside stablemate Absurde on the gallops at Flemington. Following this sparkling pre-Melbourne Cup workout, rider and assistant to Willie Mullins, David Casey spoke to the Australian press.

“Everything seems good, we’re having a ball,” Casey told www.racing.com on the morning of the gallop.

“The horse has been very relaxed, taken it all in, done everything we’ve asked, great to get a morning like this morning to come to Flemington and see something different."

Casey had spoken to the press earlier in the week and seemed confident that Vauban would be able to build on the success of former stablemate Max Dynamite, who was beaten half-a-length in the 2015 Melbourne Cup, before finishing a close third the following season.

"When we got him he had just won a Listed Flat race so he was already rated over 100 and you were hoping there was improvement to come. We were hoping he would be a high class horse in time." Casey said.

"I'm hopeful this is our best chance yet. You'd say he's definitely a better class of a hurdler than Max Dynamite was. As of yet, we're not certain he's a better class Flat horse than him. Max won the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup at York."

"Vauban won well at Ascot and he won nicely at Naas too. You'd be hoping that if he travels down there well and things go according to plan he will be very competitive in the race."

"There are 24 runners so you need a lot of luck on the draw front. Hopefully we can get a good draw first and then after that we'll see what happens. He's pretty adaptable with regard to pace and where you can put him in a race."

"It's an amazing race and it's the other side of the world so to go and win the race would be a huge achievement."

Once the footage of Vauban's workout reached Twitter, bookies in Britain began to slash the favourite's odds again. Most firms are currently offering 2/1 or 9/4 about Vauban, with bet365 currently offering a best price of 11/4.