Tulloch Lodge trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are playing the long game with high-class stayer Vauban, their decision to start him in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes part of a considered plan to give him the best possible foundation for a Melbourne Cup 2025 campaign.
Bott confirmed this week that Vauban would take his place in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), setting up a tantalising clash with star mare Via Sistina, William Haggas’ Dubai Honour and Ceolwulf.
Connections had been open to both the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and Sydney Cup (3200m) but with another Melbourne Cup bid in their sights for the spring, Bott said the middle-distance race appealed as the better option.
“We were open to both,” Bott said.
“We know he can run two miles but we have also seen he can be effective over these shorter trips.
“We’re also trying to prepare him for two miles down the track and I don’t mind the idea of trying to get him competitive at this weight-for-age racing first.”
Formerly trained in Europe, Vauban has been in tremendous form since joining the Waterhouse-Bott team at the end of the spring.
He surged late to win the Sky High Stakes (2000m) first-up and finished a gallant third behind Dubai Honour and Duke De Sessa in the Tancred Stakes (2400m) on Tuesday.
Bott has no qualms about a 400m distance drop into the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and is excited to be saddling a competitive chance in one of the drawcard races of the Sydney autumn carnival.
“It’s great being there and exciting to have him being part of it. He is well and truly capable of being competitive there,” Bott said.
“Most importantly, he came out of his last run really well and even though he didn’t win, there were some improvements we saw out of it off the back of his first-up win.
“It’s not easy going to that weight-for-age level and he’s got to step up again to go to the Queen Elizabeth but I think it’s a nice race for him.”
