Northern Hemisphere Spring Contenders Head Into Quarantine

International Raiders entering quarantine in prep for Spring

The current Melbourne Cup favourite, Vauban took another important step toward competing in the race that stops a nation on the weekend, when he entered quarantine in Ireland ready for his trip to Melbourne.

Vauban currently heads up the Melbourne Cup betting and is a clear $5 favourite to win the 3200m Handicap after impressive wins at Royal Ascot and during a Group 3 contest at Naas last month.

Irish trainer WIllie Mullins appears to be taking a tactical approach with Vauban having completed a successful hurdling season. The Irish stayer has managed to qualify for the Melbourne Cup whilst also maintaining a low rating.

Vauban entered quarantine on the Emerald Isle alongside stablemate Absurde, who finished second to Vauban at Ascot in June. Absurde has himself qualified for Melbourne Cup ballot exemption with his win carrying 60.5kgs in his Ebor Handicap earlier this month.

Alongside the Mullins pair, fellow Irish trainers Aiden and Joseph O’Brien have entered a number of runners into quarantine.

O’Brien Snr has sent last year’s Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Victoria Road into quarantine with the aim of a Cox Plate tilt on the cards.

Joseph O’Brien, having won two Melbourne Cups and a Cox Plate during a short career, also sends a number of runners down under with Valiant King, Okita Soushi and Buckaroo being aimed at the Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup.

Elsewhere Ciaron Maher and David Eustace's Cox Plate-bound stable recruit Light Infantry is also in quarantine as is Scriptwriter, which will join the Chris Waller stable to prepare for the Melbourne Cup.

There are also a number of Japanese runners set to travel down under with Group 2 winner Breakup being the first to be entered into quarantine to continue his build-up to the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

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