Which internationals should you follow in the Melbourne Cup?
It seems every year the Melbourne Cup field is littered with overseas horses that the average punter has never heard of, and the 2023 edition will be no exception.
Outside the previous competitors that will return to Australian shores in anticipation for November’s race, many cup investors will be left ‘googling’ names and looking to find some previous runs of these international raiders.
If you have followed our early look at the Melbourne Cup, however, you will have no such problems.
We’ve also got a standalone information page for all the 2023 Melbourne Cup International horses
Which horses can make an impact on November 7?
Willie Mullins trains two of the 2023 Melbourne Cup raiders with Absurde and race favourite Vauban.
5. Vauban (3)
- T: Willie Mullins
- J: Ryan Moore
- W: 55kg
- F: 34211x
- Age: 5YO
- Color: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Gallway (GB)
- Dam: Waldfest (IRE)
7. Absurde (8)
- T: Willie Mullins
- J: Zac Purton
- W: 53kg
- F: 7×1261
- Age: 6YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Fastnet Rock (AUS)
- Dam: Incroyable (IRE)
Absurde is the first of two Willie Mullins-trained gallopers heading to Australia for the 2023 Melbourne Cup. The son of Fastnet Rock warrants plenty of respect after gaining entry to this event after drawing away convincingly in the Class 2 Ebor Handicap at York on August 26. He was able to hold off all challengers under Frankie Dettori, despite lugging 60.5kg throughout the 2816m journey, and should have no issues staying the Melbourne Cup journey over 3200m. The five-year-old gelding boasts a second-place finish behind the current Melbourne Cup favourite and stablemate, Vauban, holding him in good stead for the first Tuesday of November. Hong Kong’s leading hoop Zac Purton makes his way back to Australia to take the mount, and with only 53kgs on his back, Absurde isn’t going to know himself. Consider him a top four chance.
Vauban is the second Willie Mullins-trained galloper engaged in this year’s Melbourne Cup and has been a long-standing favourite to win the race since claiming back-to-back victories in Europe. His first victory was a demolition of Class 2 rivals at Royal Ascot on June 20, as the son of Gallway made every post a winner to score by 7.5 lengths, giving his stable companion Absurde no chance of chasing him down. Vauban then made his way to Naas on August 7 to solidify his spot in the race that stops the nation, leading all the way in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes (2414m), striding away with the prize. The five-year-old gelding is well-weighted in this year’s Cup, with 55kgs unlikely to hinder his winning chances. Ryan Moore makes his way down under for the ride, and with his last Melbourne Cup success coming in 2014 aboard Protectionist. Vauban deserves favourtism on recent form and is a must include here.
13. Okita Soushi (20)
- T: Joseph O’Brien
- J: Dylan Gibbons
- W: 51.5kg
- F: 115130
- Age: 6YO
- Color: Bay
- Sex: Stallion
- Sire: Galileo (IRE)
- Dam: Amicus (UNR)
Okita Soushi has already had a run since getting off the float for the Joseph O’Brien stable, finishing 10 lengths away in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 21. The colt by Galileo was considered a shade disappointing by many – particularly with his overseas credentials reading quite well prior to that effort. He took out the Class 2 Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (2414m), holding off Hms President by a neck on the wire, pronouncing himself as a Melbourne Cup type, with the ability to outstay his rivals. He must be considered hard to have heading into Tuesday, however, Dylan Gibbons gets his chance to make his mark on Australia’s greatest race with his first-ever ride in a Melbourne Cup. Okita Soushi will need to make massive improvements to be in the finish here.
Breakup is the fifth of our selected band of 2023 Melbourne Cup hopefuls who can feature prominently on Tuesday.
4. Breakup (18)
- T: Tatsuya Yoshioka
- J: Kohei Matsuyama
- W: 55kg
- F: 0340×8
- Age: 5YO
- Color: Chestnut
- Sex: Horse
- Sire: Novelist (IRE)
- Dam: Little Dun (USA)
The only Japanese runner in the 2023 Melbourne Cup comes in the form of Breakup. The Tatsuya Yoshioka-trained five-year-old has already made his presence felt in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), finishing a luckless eighth of the 18 runners. He was poleaxed between runners and lost all momentum under Damian Lane, spelling the end of his chances in that contest. He was clearly very forgivable on that effort, and you only need to peak at his local form to see how talented this son of Novelist can be. He was blown away by the words highest-rated horse, Equinox, in the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen (2200m) at Hanshin, but prior to that was closing on the heals of Justin Palace in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (spring) (3200m) over the Melbourne Cup trip. Kohei Matsuyama makes the trip from Japan to steer home Break Up and will be seeking history, as the first winner from the land of the rising son since Delta Blues in 2006.
For a full breakdown on every 2023 Melbourne Cup horses chances in the race that stops the nation, see our full feature race guides: