He was once the boom international that demanded Melbourne Cup favouritism.
Two underwhelming campaigns later where he failed to finish in the top 10, he’s now set for one more crack – but without the expectation.
“With every boom there’s a bust,” Australian Bloodstock’s Jamie Lovett told Betsy.
“To be fair, he never lived up to the hype down here. From a punting perspective, most blokes would’ve lost on the horse. He’s not for everyone.”
Australian Bloodstock bought the gelding in November last year and is now under the care of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Vauban wasted no time repaying his new owners, kicking off his campaign in March with a sharp victory in the Group 3 Sky High Stakes at Rosehill.
He followed that effort with a gallant third in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes, but couldn’t reproduce that form in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
His Caulfield Cup preparation included three runs at Randwick including a promising third in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes first-up, before being denied clear running in the Kingston Town Stakes and being caught too far back in the Metropolitan.
Lovett said the class is still there – he just needs the right ride and a little bit of luck. Lovett was also hoping for an inside barrier for the Caulfield Cup, but the 8-year-old drew 13.
“He’s the class horse, no doubt,” Lovett said.
“If he brought his European form, you’d think he’d be right in it and out of his ears.”
“If we ride him like he likes to be ridden, not driven out the gates, but allowed to find his rhythm, then Blake [Shinn] will suit him. Last time [in the Metropolitan], Tim [Clark] rode him quietly and he was probably a bit unlucky. You could argue he should’ve finished right alongside the winner.”
“I think Blake will suit him. We’ve had a bit of luck with Blake’s team, and he rides Caulfield very well. It’s a tricky track, not everyone handles it. I’d say Blake and Craig Williams stand out among the Victorian jockeys at the moment.”
Joining Vauban is fellow Australian Bloodstock hope and Metropolitan winner, Royal Supremacy.
On board is Robbie Dolan who knows a few things about riding light-weight and winning big Cups.
“He was terrific the other day in the Metrop. That run brought him right on. He pulled hard, Robbie [Dolan] couldn’t pull him up as he was still running strongly past the post,” Lovett said.
“That should take the edge off him, and if he gets in, I think he’s cherry ripe.”
In an ideal world both of Lovett’s runners will prove they deserve their spot in the Melbourne Cup.
“The path was always Vauban into Caulfield and then the Melbourne Cup,” Lovett said. “He’d need to run well Saturday, of course, but that’s the trajectory. And with Royal Supremacy, to be honest, 12 months ago when we bought him, the Cups were always the goal.”
“His international form … profiled him as a genuine contender.”
“If he runs Saturday and goes well, we’d back him up in the Melbourne Cup. I’d back him to run the trip. He’s the type of lightweight blowout chance you see every year.”
