Melbourne Cup Predictions: Who the experts are tipping as more than half pick same horse

Vauban is being strongly backed by horse racing experts to bounce back from a 2023 disappointment and win this year’s Melbourne Cup.

The seven-year-old from the stable of master Irish trainer Willie Mullins is a $6.50 favourite with the bookmakers (as of Monday morning), after also entering the race as the favourite last year.

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That moniker has been somewhat of a curse in recent years though as Vauban finished in the back half of the field twelve months ago to continue the streak of a favourite not winning since Fiorente in 2013.

But the experts believe Vauban will be better for the run, is in better form twelve months on and can hand Mullins is first Cup (the closest he has come is second in 2015).

Stablemate Absurde also received a lot of love from the expert tipsters, while Onesmootheroperator, Buckaroo, Zardozi and Sea King are all highly-fancied.

Who will be on the money come Tuesday afternoon? See who those in the know are backing.

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JIM CASSIDY (foxsports.com.au)

1. SEA KING

2. Interpretation

3. Onesmoothoperator

4. Buckaroo

TREVOR MARSHALLSEA (foxsports.com.au)

1. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR

2. Sea King

3. Absurde

4. Interpretation

DANIEL NUTTAL (foxsports.com.au)

1. VAUBAN

2. Kovalica

3. Saint George

4. Athabascan

SCOTT GULLAN (News Corp)

1. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR

2. Buckaroo

3. Interpretation

4. The Map

BEN DORRIES (News Corp)

1. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR

2. Sea King

3. Interpretation

4. Knight’s Choice

TRENTON AKERS (News Corp)

1. VAUBAN

2. Land Legend

3. Onesmoothoperator

4. Absurde

CLINTON PAYNE (Racenet.com.au)

1. VAUBAN

2. Buckaroo

3. Absurde

4. Zardozi

MITCH COHEN (News Corp)

1. BUCKAROO

2. Vauban

3. Circle of Fire

4. Onesmoothoperator

SHAYNE O’CASS (News Corp)

1. ZARDOZI

2. Kovalica

3. Vauban

4. Athabascan

JETT HATTON (News Corp)

1. BUCKAROO

2. Onesmoothoperator

3. Circle of Fire

4. Sharp ‘N’ Smart

MICHELLE PAYNE (Melbourne Cup winning jockey)

1. ABSURDE

2. Vauban

3. Buckaroo

4. Okita Soushi

JAMES LAMB (Punters.com.au)

1. BUCKAROO

2. Okita Soushi

3. Onesmoothoperator

4. Vauban

DANIEL SANKEY (News Corp)

1. ABSURDE

2. Onesmoothoperator

3. Land Legend

4. Vauban

ANDREW RULE (News Corp)

1. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR

2. Vauban

3. Okita Soushi

4. Absurde

GILBERT GARDINER (News Corp)

1. VAUBAN

2. Valiant King

3. Onesmoothoperator

4. Sharp ‘N’ Smart

BRAD WATERS (News Corp)

1. BUCKAROO

2. Sharp ‘N’ Smart

3. Vauban

4. Okita Soushi

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GLENN MCFARLANE (News Corp)

1. VAUBAN

2. Buckaroo

3. Sea King

4. Onesmoothoperator

CHRIS VERNUCCIO (News Corp)

1. VAUBAN

2. Onesmoothoperator

3. Absurde

4. Buckaroo

RAY THOMAS (News Corp)

1. ABSURDE

2. Onesmoothoperator

3. Buckaroo

4. Zardozi

ADAM SHEEY (News Corp)

1. VAUBAN

2. Buckaroo

3. Zardozi

4. Land Legend

FRANCESCA CUMANI (Channel 9)

1. VAUBAN

2. Buckaroo

3. Absurde

4. Zardozi

SIMON O’DONNELL (Channel 9)

1. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR

2. Vauban

3. Zardozi

4. Saint George

DANNY RUSSELL (The Age)

1. VAUBAN

2. Okita Soushi

3. Onesmoothoperator

4. Buckaroo

PETER RYAN (The Age)

1. VAUBAN

2. Buckaroo

3. Land Legend

4. Onesmoothoperator

NICK QUINN (Ladbrokes)

1. BUCKAROO

2. Vauban

3. Kovalica

4. Onesmoothoperator

GLEN BOSS (Melbourne Cup winning jockey)

1. VAUBAN

2. Buckaroo

3. Okita Soushi

4. Onesmoothoperator

KATE BROMLEY (Ladbrokes)

1. ZARDOZI

2. Vauban

3. Onesmoothoperator

4. Sea King

MITCH LEWIS (Betfair)

1. VAUBAN

2. Onesmoothoperator

3. Zardozi

4. Buckaroo