Willie Mullins’s pursuit of 2023 Melbourne Cup glory has plenty of Aussie bookmakers making moves

When it comes to success in the horse racing sphere, no trainer can compete with prolific Irishman Willie Mullins.

A winning machine in Ireland, the UK and Europe, the name Mullins is always an eye-catcher with most international betting sites, with success almost a guarantee.

However, Mullins has never been able to train a winner at the Melbourne Cup, despite plenty of near misses and there is a feeling that 2023 will be one of his biggest pushes ever. 

The global appeal of the Melbourne Cup always makes moves in international betting circles and it has been underlined once more by Willie Mullins.

A man that has effectively achieved everything in the worlds of both flat and jump racing, Mullins has remarkably never trained a winner in the Melbourne Cup, and he continues to chase his dream at Flemington in 2023. 

As ever, the challenge for Mullins is a huge one, one he and the major Aussie bookmakers know all too well, with the ante-post markets developing ahead of the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday November 7th, 2023.

So close but yet so far for Mullins

When it comes to winning races at big festivals, nobody can compete with Willie Mullins.

Glorious triumphs over the jumps at Cheltenham and across the flat at Ascot, have bookmarked Mullins’ career, which continues to go from strength to strength.

Testament to the drive of the man however is his determination to prove himself internationally too and whilst he has had plenty of wins outside of the UK and Ireland, the Melbourne Cup at Flemington has yet to make it onto his trophy cabinet.

He has come close before with the likes of Simenon and Max Dynamite but none of his rides have quite had what it takes to win a Melbourne Cup. 

Vauban the great hope in 2023

The growing opinion surrounding Willie Mullins in 2023 is that Vauban has long been a horse he has touted and sculpted for the Melbourne Cup. 

Another convert from the jumping world,  Vauban is a trained speedster, who looks to be ideal for the conditions here in Flemington, prompting many betting sites to have it as the ante-post market leader.

There is plenty of running and riding to do between now and the starters orders at Flemington in early November, but the ante-post markets are all too aware of how much this race means to Willie Mullins.

Anything can happen over the next few months, but Vauban is currently the market leader for Melbourne Cup glory at $10 with BoomBet.

Plenty of challengers in the field

As Willie Mullins knows all too well, the Melbourne Cup is one of the strongest races in the world and it will not come easily to Vauban.

The Australian and international horse racing fraternity are all on pins chasing glory at Flemington and with the season starting to take shape in 2023, the Melbourne Cup is in the back of everybody’s mind.

Lunar Flare holds the great Australian hope, with connections growing more confident of its chances of Melbourne Cup glory.

The 6-year-old Lunar Flare is available at $13 with Bet365. 

Elsewhere, Japanese star horse Silver Sonic is another contender in the race with a very impressive record.

Conditions and travel are always question marks that linger over international horses in a race as short as the Melbourne Cup but on racing credentials, Silver Sonic is certainly in with a shout. 

Silver Sonic is a healthy $14.00 in the ante-post betting to blitz the field win the 2023 Melbourne Cup with UniBet.

The Melbourne Cup is one of the biggest draws in racing and the determination of Willie Mullins to win the race simply underlines that.

Legendary Irish trainer Mullins has the favourite 2023 Melbourne Cup with most Aussie bookmakers in Vauban but he will know all too well that anything can happen in the race that stops a nation in early November.