2023 Melbourne Cup tips: Five horses for your shortlist

Trainer: Willie Mullins. Odds: 5-2.

The master of Closutton has endured a long affinity with the famous race, but this looks to be Willie Mullins’ best ever chance of landing the Mellbourne Cup.

The Cheltenham Festival hero slammed stable companion and subsequent Ebor hero Absurde by seven and a half-lengths, before he warmed up for this assignment with a smooth victory in the Ballyroan Stakes at Naas. Both performances have highlighted his tactical versatility and he has reportedly worked brilliantly at Flemington in recent days. With the world’s greatest jockey on board, he has that crucial turn of pace which is so vital round a sharp track. He is very short in the betting, but with good reason.

Trainer: Chris Waller. Odds: 33-1.

A fascinating runner. A dual winner over hurdles, the four-year-old shaped better than the bare result suggests when eighth to Absurde in the Ebor. He was short of room at the two-furlong pole, running into a wall of horses before finally finding daylight. He only kept on at the one pace, but there was stacks of promise in the run. It was a similar story on his Australian debut when he had to make his run for home towards the outside of the field. A fast-finishing fifth, this looked to be a perfect prep for the Cup and he commands plenty of respect. Interestingly, he also posted the quickest final splits in the final two furlongs in that event. The only factor which tempers enthusiasm is a nightmare draw in stall 24.

Trainer: Willie Mullins. Odds: 16-1.

His form clearly lacks the substance of stable companion Vauban, but he is in the form of his life and there was lots to like about his Ebor heroics. He got a peach of a ride from Frankie Dettori, but he is a relentless galloper and if able to secure a prominent position, there is no doubting that he could eke out further improvement. A draw in stall 8 looks perfect and with Zac Purton aboard, matched with his proven stamina, he is respected. The main concern is the form he has to find with Vauban, who simply on all known form, is simply a better horse than his stable companion.

Trainer: Tatsuya Yoshioka. Odds: 16-1.

An interesting contender for Japan. Fancied for the Caulfield Cup, he was one-paced on his way to an eighth-placed finish. However, he seems to be a horse who improves on his second start after a break (this has yielded three wins) and his form is very solid. Fourth to Justin Palace in the Tenno Sho (Spring) in April, the winner was second to the best horse in the world Equinox in the autumn Tenno Sho last month which gives a strong look to the form. Despite a poor draw in stall 18, he looks the type who could go close.

Trainer: Joseph O’Brien. Odds: 80-1.

Joseph O’Brien has won this race twice and whilst Okita Soushi looks up against it on all known form, he can show he is better than the bare result showed when 12th in the Caulfield Cup on his Australian debut. He landed the Duke Of Edinburgh at this year’s Royal Meeting and has plenty of solid form in his back catalogue, including two wins over two wins, albeit on a synthetic surface at Dundalk. Stamina should not be an issue and at chunky odds, he looks worth chancing to run into a place despite having to overcome a tricky draw in stall 20.