Mullins raises Stayers’ Hurdle possibility for Vauban

Willie Mullins is eyeing a possible tilt at the Stayers’ Hurdle with Vauban after coming up short for the second year running in the Melbourne Cup.

Disappointing when favourite for the Flemington feature last term, the six-year-old returned to Australia with high hopes after winning the Lonsdale Cup at York and finishing second to star stayer Kyprios in the Irish St Leger.

However, Vauban again failed to run up to expectations, this time finishing 11th of 23 runners while his stablemate Absurde fared better in taking fifth spot.

Absurde looks set for another Melbourne Cup bid in 2025, but Vauban could revert to the jumping game.

“The weather was 25 or 26 degrees on the day and we thought that should be OK, but he just doesn’t seem to travel down there,” Mullins told Racing TV at Naas on Sunday.

“Absurde ran great and the two of them more or less trained the same. I don’t think Vauban will go back down, Absurde will go back down next year. With a clear run he would have been a top three finisher, so he has every chance.

“We will look at going to Saudi. They’re due to travel back on Wednesday, so between now and Tuesday we’ll have to decide.

“Vauban if he comes back, would he go for a Stayers’ Hurdle or something like that? I think that would be a possibility if Rich (Ricci) wants to do that, if he wants to stay on the Flat (he could) go to Saudi.

“He probably wasn’t good enough to win a Champion Hurdle and didn’t jump well enough, but going half a mile an hour slower over an extended trip might suit him better, and he’d be class horse in that division I think.”