Ciaron Maher is bracing for an international attack from an "astute, cunning and shrewd" rival as he aims to become the first trainer to win back-to-back Melbourne Cups in almost 20 years.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Maher and training partner David Eustace will have five runners in the $8 million feature at Flemington on Tuesday, including defending champion Gold Trip, as they aim to become the first trainers to win consecutive years since 2004-05.
But Irish trainer Willie Mullins is positioning himself to take the Cup back overseas after bringing stars Vauban and Absurde to lead the international raid.
Mullins is a two-time Melbourne Cup placegetter with Max Dynamite but is yet to win Australia's most famous race, and Maher is on alert despite describing Gold Trip's preparation as faultless.
"Willie is astute, he's cunning, he's shrewd, he's one of the best trainers in the world and he's Irish," Maher told this masthead.
"It's a pretty tough formula to beat. Willie is a master trainer. He's not here to make up the numbers with Vauban and Absurde."
Mullins and his entourage arrived at Werribee's quarantine station on Saturday to watch their two gallopers go through their final paces before the Melbourne Cup. Maher got a sneak peek at what he will be facing while he was watching his import, Victoria Road.
"I had a good look at Vauban and Absurde on Saturday," he said. "They both looked in great order. They're fit and with any luck they will be in the finish for Willie.
"People will look at the form guide and say Vauban and Absurde are having first-up runs over 3200 metres and it's going to be hard for them to win but both horses have been in work for years. Vauban and Absurde are very fit.
"They have the miles in their legs to run out strong two miles. The trick to the Melbourne Cup is about 16 of the 24 runners can't run two miles. They get found out wanting at the 2400-metre mark. It's the real stayers that win Melbourne Cups - just have a look at Red Cadeaux.
"He was not the best horse in the world but he was the best horse to run two miles - his record of running second on three occasions in the Melbourne Cup shows that. It's all about having the horse fit on the day and ready to run two miles - not 2400 metres.
"The tempo really lifts at the 2400-metre mark and that's when plenty get found out."
Maher and Eustace will have Gold Trip, Right You Are, Ashrun, Future History and Interpretation in the race that stops a nation.
The master trainer believes Gold Trip can write his name into the history books as a back-to-back winner of the Melbourne Cup with James McDonald on board.
"I'm very confident Gold Trip will run well," Maher said. "Gold Trip has had a faultless preparation leading into the Cup.
"His win in the Turnbull was exceptional and his efforts to run third in the Caulfield Cup and fifth in the Cox Plate were excellent. He really appreciates the big roomy track at Flemington. He's a weight-for-age winner and they win handicap races.
"I fully understand he's got to carry 58.5kgs but he's a big strong horse. I would say I'm more confident about his chances this year than last year.
"I know he's done it and is a better horse than last year. His chances would be enhanced if we happened to get a bit of rain before the running of the Cup."
No trainer-horse combination has won consecutive Melbourne Cups since Makybe Diva won under Lee Freedman's watch in 2004 and 2005.
The legendary Bart Cummings is the last trainer to win two Melbourne Cups in a row with two different horses. Cummings won with Kingston Rule in 1990 and then won again with Let's Elope in 1991.
Maher said he's happy with the preparation of Right You Are, Ashrun, Future History and Interpretation for the race.
"I wouldn't swap any of my runners," he said. "They're all in great shape and had good preparations. Future History looks to be well weighted.
"I would say he's probably got under the guard of the handicapper. He drops to 50 kgs and I reckon that will be a real advantage at the end of two miles. His win in the Bart Cummings was strong. He's got very good international form before coming over to Australia.
"Ashrun has been running consistently. I was very happy with his Geelong Cup second placing and the form from that race normally is a good guide to the Melbourne Cup.
"Interpretation fought on gallantly to win the Bendigo Cup and is not the roughest while I thought the run by Right You Are in the Caulfield Cup was better than it looks on paper."
