Horse Racing
Melbourne Cup 2024: William Buick Will Ride Vauban For Willie Mullins As Riders Confirmed
Andy is a horse racing journalist and betting expert who specializes in trends and stats. With his long association with TrainersQuotes and FromTheStables, Andy has also built up solid contacts with some of the best stables in the UK. Has written for GeeGeez and bookmakers Matchbook and BetBright in the past too, plus was the former sports betting editor of odds comparison site Easyodds and Juicestorm. Has also appeared on betting podcasts for MatchBook and has featured in the popular Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Guide in the past. Andy's also ghost written for former top jockey Richard Dunwoody and continues to have a monthly column in the Racing Ahead horse racing magazine. Now a regular on Sportscasting giving his views, trends and tips mainly on horse racing - if there's a stat to be explored and it's a sport, Andy is sure to find a betting angle to use. You can also hear Andy's weekly horse racing views and best bets on the popular Final Furlong podcast.
Get to know Andy Newton betterPublished22 hours ago on October 14, 2024
Top Irish trainer Willie Mullins has lifted the lid on who will ride his intended 2024 Melbourne Cup runners – with the big news being that William Buick will get the leg-up on Vauban – replacing Ryan Moore, who rode the horse in the race 12 months ago.
William Buick To Ride Vauban In 2024 Melbourne Cup For Willie Mullins
The Rich Ricci-owned VAUBAN has arrived in Australia for another tilt at the Melbourne Cup – a race he was sent off as the favourite with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK in 2023, but could only manage 14th under Ryan Moore.
However, this time connections have confirmed that jockey William Buick will ride Vauban in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday 5th November.
Aside from the recent association with Vauban, another reason William Buick will ride is that Ryan Moore is expected to get the leg-up on the Aidan O’Brien-trained Jan Brueghel, who won this season’s St Leger at Doncaster.
Buick, who is still hunting for his first Melbourne Cup win, is no stranger to riding the Willie Mullins horse – having steered him three times in total and is yet to finish out of the first two on the versatile 6 year-old.
Vauban was last seen running second to the classy stayer Kyprios in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh in the middle of September, while prior to that won the Lonsdale Cup at York (watch below). Both times with William Buick in the saddle.
Vauaban Set To Carry Just One Pound More
Last year’s Melbourne Cup favourite is also set to carry just 8st 10lbs (55.5kg) in weight – which is just one pound more than in 2023.
Like Buick, Mullins will be looking for his first Melbourne Cup winner – as will Vauban’s owner Rich Ricci, who has gone close in the ‘Race That Stops A Nation’ before with Max Dynamite finished second in 2015 and third in 2017.
David Casey (Willie Mullins assistant) said.
“We felt we left something behind with Vauban as well and he didn’t give his true running. His owners Rich and Susannah Ricci were very keen to come back and have another go and we think he’s better than he showed last year. Hopefully we’ll be proved right.”
William Buick’s Record On Vauban
- Rides: 3
- Wins: 1
- Top 2 Finishes: 3
- Last Race: 2nd Irish St Leger (15th Sept 24)
WATCH: Vauban Winning The 2024 Lonsdale Cup at York
When Is The Melbourne Cup 2024?
📅Date: Tuesday 5th November 2024
⌚Time: 4:00am (GMT)
🏇Racecourse: Flemington (2m)
💰Winning Purse: £2,485,875
📺 TV: Sky Sports Racing
Mullins Also Expected To Run Last Year’s Melbourne Cup Seventh Absurde
Despite being sent off almost double the price with the best betting sites in the UK, another Willie Mullins runner Absurde managed to finish ahead of Vauban in seventh.
This 5 year-old is back for more too – having joined Vauban on the trip over the Australia and connections have revealed he’ll be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy – replaing Zac Purton, who rode the horse in 2023.
Veteran Aussie rider McEvoy will be known to many UK horse racing fans after his time with Godolphin in the past and is no stranger to winning Melbourne Cup – having steered home Brew in 2000 and Cross Counter in 2018.
Like Vauban, Absurde is a versatile horse too – having also won at the Cheltenham Festival, when landing the 2024 County Hurdle there last season.
At this stage Vauban and Absurde are high up the betting for the 2024 Melbourne Cup, along with the Aidan O’Brien-trained St Leger winner Jan Brueghel – who is expected to be ridden by Ryan Moore.
Vauban & Absurde have arrived back in Melbourne for another crack at the Spring Carnival 😍
Travelling foreman, David Casey, explains how they've travelled across & settled in at Werribee 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/N6RWBYwxmJ
— Racing.com (@Racing) October 14, 2024
David Casey added.
“They seemed to travel very well, they’ve been here before and know what it’s like,” said Casey.
“Since they’ve arrived in Werribee they’ve been very good. Vauban has put back on everything he lost and the other guy has put on most of it. They’ve done a bit of a hack and a canter and we’re delighted with them.
“We went a different route last year with Vauban because he had to qualify and he did that after Ascot in Naas and then we wanted to make sure we were able to get him here.
“With Absurde, we were originally thinking of coming for the Caulfield Cup [on Saturday] but when we shelved that plan after winning at Chester, we decided to go straight in.”