Must-see Melbourne Cup lead-up runs, including favourite Vauban’s jaw-dropping Royal Ascot win

CAULFIELD CUP (2400m)

Caulfield, 21-10-23

WITHOUT A FIGHT (1st, yellow and black): Finds a beautiful spot from gate nine, midfield on the fence, and trails eventual runner-up West Wind Blows while the leaders set a cracking pace sure to give those coming from the back a strong chance. He hooks wider than West Wind Blows on the turn but still outruns him to the finish in a display of staying strength.

GOLD TRIP (3rd, blue with black and white checks): Races on Without A Fight’s outside and is a bit unlucky when squeezed up from room by that horse entering the straight. Also gets shut out of room by the first two inside the last 200m. Wouldn’t have won but kept coming in a fine trial for the 3200m Melbourne Cup.

RIGHT YOU ARE (5th, yellow and blue with red cap): Terrific run as a $41 longshot. Raced up near the pace in sixth, one of the fence, and while all others in the front group died out after setting a strong pace, this guy kept plugging, suggesting he’ll get a longer trip.

SOULCOMBE (7th, navy and white): Blew his chance by missing the start hopelessly. Had to burn petrol to catch up and while he moved up in the straight, that effort told on him, but it was a fair Cup trial.

BREAKUP (8th, grey and yellow): Japanese visitor who sat about eighth one off the fence and got passed in the straight, but a solid enough effort considering he’ll take benefit from his first Australian run.

OKITA SOUSHI (12th, green and red): Settled at the tail and made a little ground heading into the straight, though that was done by cutting the corner. Didn’t hint at much in the run home.

COPPER HORSE HANDICAP (2816m)

Royal Ascot, 20-06-23

VAUBAN (1st, pink): Awesome front-running staying performance from the short priced favourite, which shows why he’s favourite for this race. Settled in front, bowled along at a strong pace, and just went further in front in the straight to win by 7.5 lengths. You can see by the size of his chest he’s got a big engine.

ABSURDE (2nd, white): A fine run, having settled back near the tail. No match for the winner but was the only one making ground on him in the last 200m.

EBOR HANDICAP

York, England, 26-08-23

ABSURDE (1st, white): Powerhouse win. From a wide gate in a big field, he sat four wide with no cover for most of the race, Sent to the front about 600m from home in the long York straight and just kept finding more all the way to the line. Clearly one of those tough European stayers with a huge heart.

CUP LATE MAIL: Latest on scratchings, changes ahead of the race

BARRIER DRAW: Full results and reaction including who got lucky

BIGGEST BETS: Punter’s nervous Melbourne Cup wait with nearly $1m on the line

TALKING POINTS: Melb Cup favourite ‘probably will win well’; debate over jockey call

ULTIMATE GUIDE: How much winner gets and the two horses punters are backing

BETTING GUIDE FOR DUMMIES: Pick the fastest one… or three

OFFICE SWEEP: Free 2023 Melbourne Cup online sweep generator

MOONEE VALLEY CUP (2500m)

Moonee Valley, 27-10-23

CLEVELAND (1st, navy and white): Had the benefit of a lovely soft run, midfield in the pack with cover, and surged on well to claim the leaders late on.

VOW AND DECLARE (2nd, orange and white): Tough run after travelling three-wide most of the trip, and without cover for the last half of it. Was entitled to weaken in the straight but kept on plugging.

FUTURE HISTORY (3rd, green and white hoops): Settled behind Vow And Declare so had a slightly more cushy run, came out and threatened to win before fading slightly at the end, which was a bit worrying from a 3200m perspective.

SHERAZ (8th, green, red and white): Settled in the back half and had a nice trail into the race, got into the clear on the home turn but was outsprinted at the end. May lack some finishing zip over this trip, but could yet be better suited over a 3200m grind.

ALENQUER (9th, navy and gold): Not a bad run this, despite the 9th placing. Settled at the back and didn’t gain the clearest of runs, which is a nightmare at Moonee Valley with its short straight, but kept coming powerfully to finish not that far off them, and kept surging past the post. Should be better suited by the long straight at Flemington.

TRUE MARVEL (10th, white with navy cap): Settled last. Ran on just OK in the straight.

GEELONG CUP (2400m)

Geelong, 25-10-23

ASHRUN (2nd, blue with black and white checks): Enjoyed a beautiful run fifth on the fence, got into the clear in time but lacked a bit of dash in the straight, so while it looked slightly disappointing on face value, he may appreciate a longer grind.

MAGICAL LAGOON (6th, green with white checked sleeves): Led and weakened at the end but not beaten by much. Fitter for this run, her third from a spell.

MORE FELONS (4th, white, green sleeves, red cap): Settled near the back, widest runner on the turn, kept coming in the straight to suggest he needed further. Decent. Will take improvement from that first run in Australia.

VIRTUOUS CIRCLE (8th, green): Had a sweet run on the fence but showed little in the straight.

PRIX GLADIATEUR (3100m)

Longchamp, France, 03-09-23

LASTOTCHKA (1st, blue with black and white checks): Strode clear to win by two lengths on the line on soft going under 56kg, so the distance here shouldn’t worry her under just 51kg.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH STAKES (2400m)

Royal Ascot, England, 23-06-23

OKITA SOUSHI (1st, green and red): Settled near the back, pushed wide on the home bend, led narrowly inside the last 200m and dug deep to win narrowly.

COX PLATE (2040m)

GOLD TRIP (5th, blue, black and white checks): Settled last from barrier eight and, after his 2400m Caulfield Cup run a week before, couldn’t raise the sprint to haul in the leaders from that far back. Fair Melbourne Cup trial.

THE BART CUMMINGS (2520m)

Flemington, 07-10-23

FUTURE HISTORY (1st, green and white hooped sleeves): Tremendous front-running display. Only an even tempo set but he dug deep when challenged in the straight and beat off the second horse.

SERPENTINE (3rd, navy and white): Travelled up on the pace and boxed on fairly in the straight, despite not appearing to have his mind fully on the job. That was his first run in blinkers, so may be more used to them now.

ASHRUN (6th, blue and white): Eye-catching run from the tail as the widest runner in the straight.

SHERAZ (12th, green, red and white): Didn’t do a great deal from back in the field, but was only his third run after a long break.

TURNBULL STAKES (2000m)

Flemington, 07-10-23

GOLD TRIP (1st, blue, black and white checks): Ballistic run second-up from a spell, settling last from his wide gate and unleashing a powerful run in the last 300m.

SOULCOMBE (3rd, navy and white): Showed his slow starting habits again, enjoyed a nice soft run about sixth-last on the fence, made good ground in the straight, but safely held by the second horse who’d had a far tougher run.

RIGHT YOU ARE (11th, yellow and blue with red cap): Had to travel three-wide, worse than midfield, but did have cover. Bottomed out in the straight but was second-up from a spell over unsuitably short trip.

HERBERT POWER STAKES (2400m)

Caulfield, 14-20-23

MILITARY MISSION (1st, red and white): Gained a cosy run, second-last one off the fence. Surged to the line but perhaps reeled in some pretty ordinary leaders.

DAQIANSWEET JUNIOR (4th, navy and gold hoops, whire sleeves): Had a smothered run third-last on the rail. Made some ground in the straight grinding away, and was in front soon after the post, underscoring what his stats show: that he’s an out-and-out 3200m horse.

ARCHER STAKES

Flemington, 04-11-23

KALAPOUR (1st, green, navy and yellow): Jumped well from gate one and led comfortably with no pressure on in the small field, increased the tempo from the 800m and had enough left in the tank to keep kicking in the straight. Will find a lot more wearying pressure in the Cup.

BENDIGO CUP (2400m)

November 1

INTERPRETATION (1st, navy and white): Had all the favours in the run, a nice soft passage from barrier five, one off the fence about sixth, into the clear in plenty of time and just got the win by a nose. This race many leagues weaker than the Melbourne Cup.