Mullins flew in to watch the cup pairing

Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins made a swashbuckling visit to Werribee to oversee his Melbourne Cup contenders’ preparations and said Vauban and Absurd were “ready this minute” to compete in the 3200m.

Mullins will not return to Melbourne until Victoria Derby Day but was pleased with the performance and condition of his two charges, who finished seventh and 14th last year.

“I think both horses are ready to run at this minute and that’s what I really wanted,” he said.

“Now is the time to wait and I think we are ready.

“We received our first batch last year and I didn’t see any benefit in it.

“I thought they had been away from home for too long, so we decided to change tactics completely, hopefully it will work.”

WATCH: Mullins visits Melbourne Cup contenders

Another change to Mullins’ plans will include skipping the Flemington visit ahead of Melbourne Cup Day as he feels Vauban’s much-talked-about surge at the track last year could count against him on race day.

Vauban finished second to champion Kyprios on his last start in the Group 1 Irish St Leger (2816m) on 14 September.

“Vauban came here a lot better this year than he did last year,” Mullins explained.

“We did a different program with him in the summer, but I raced him all the way thinking I just needed to freshen him up and maybe give him a chance at the Cup.”

Stablemate Absurd, who initially thought Mullins might win the Caulfield Cup instead, was the winner of his last start in the Listed Chester Stakes (2916m) on 31 August.

“He went to Chester and exceeded my expectations by winning there,” admitted Mullins.

“I think he’s in the right place too, I’m much happier with him this year, he seems more mature in his mind, watching him at the races this morning… he seems to have grown up.

“I, of course, really wanted to come back with Vauban, but I didn’t think about it for Absurde, I thought the Caulfield Cup might suit him better.

“But the more I thought about it and looked at last year’s race, I thought, ‘You know what, he’s got as good a chance as anyone.’

Mullins has announced his Irish galloper and Melbourne Cup favorite Jan Brueghel as the horse to beat from Aidan O’Brien’s stable.

“It’s a tough task for a three-year-old, especially for a horse, I don’t think he ran at two, so he’s probably still learning the game,” he said.

“But he was very impressive at Doncaster… he might be the one to beat.”

William Buick will ride Vauban, who overcame the $5.50 chance in last year’s race and is currently on the third betting line with a $9 bet on Sportsbet, while Kerryn McEvoy’s Mount Absurde chance is priced at 17 dollars.

Jan Brueghel is the $4.60 Melbourne Cup favorite.