Melbourne Cup predictions: Who experts say more than half are picking the same horse – Fox Sports

Vauban has been heavily backed by horse racing pundits to bounce back from the 2023 disappointment and win this year’s Melbourne Cup.

The seven-year-old from the stable of master Irish trainer Willie Mullins is the bookies’ $6.50 favorite (as of Monday morning) after also entering the race as favorite last year.

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That moniker has been somewhat of a curse in recent years as Vauban finished in the back half of the field twelve months ago to extend the favourite’s run of wins since Fiorente in 2013.

But pundits believe Vauban will be better for the run, that he is in better form twelve months on and could hand Mullins a first Cup (the closest he came was a second in 2015).

Stablemate Absurde also got a lot of love from the expert tipsters, while Onesmootheroperator, Buckaroo, Zardozi and Sea King were all well liked.

Who will win the money on Tuesday afternoon? See who people in the know support.

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JIM CASSIDY (foxsports.com.au)

1. SEA KING

2. Interpretation

3. Onesmoothoperator

4. Buckaroo

TREVOR MARSHALSY (foxsports.com.au)

1. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR

2. Sea King

3. Absurd

4. Interpretation

DANIEL NUTTALL (foxsports.com.au)

1. VOBAN

2. Blacksmith

3. Saint George

4. Athabaskan

SCOTT GULLAN (News Corp)

1. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR

2. Buckaroo

3. Interpretation

4. The map

BEN DORIS (News Corp)

1. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR

2. Sea King

3. Interpretation

4. The Knight’s Choice

TRENTON ACRES (News Corp)

1. VOBAN

2. Earth legend

3. Onesmoothoperator

4. Absurd

CLINTON PAINE (Racenet.com.au)

1. VOBAN

2. Buckaroo

3. Absurd

4. Zardozi

MITCH COHEN (News Corp)

1. BUKARU

2. Vauban

3. Fire circle

4. Onesmoothoperator

SHANE O’CASS (News Corp)

1. ZARDOZI

2. Blacksmith

3. Vauban

4. Athabaskan

JET HUTTON (News Corp)

1. BUKARU

2. Onesmoothoperator

3. Fire circle

4. Sharp ‘N’ Smart

MICHELLE PAINE (Melbourne Cup winning jockey)

1. ABSURD

2. Vauban

3. Buckaroo

4. Okita Sushi

JAMES LAMB (Punters.com.au)

1. BUKARU

2. Okita Sushi

3. Onesmoothoperator

4. Vauban

DANIEL SANKEY (News Corp)

1. ABSURD

2. Onesmoothoperator

3. Earth legend

4. Vauban

ANDREW RUHL (News Corp)

1. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR

2. Vauban

3. Okita Sushi

4. Absurd

GILBERT GARDINER (News Corp)

1. VOBAN

2. A valiant king

3. Onesmoothoperator

4. Sharp ‘N’ Smart

BRAD WATERS (News Corp)

1. BUKARU

2. Sharp ‘N’ Smart

3. Vauban

4. Okita Sushi

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GLENN MACFARLAINE (News Corp)

1. VOBAN

2. Buckaroo

3. Sea King

4. Onesmoothoperator

CHRIS VERNUCHIO (News Corp)

1. VOBAN

2. Onesmoothoperator

3. Absurd

4. Buckaroo

RAY THOMAS (News Corp)

1. ABSURD

2. Onesmoothoperator

3. Buckaroo

4. Zardozi

ADAM SHEA (News Corp)

1. VOBAN

2. Buckaroo

3. Zardozi

4. Earth legend

FRANCESKA CUMANI (Channel 9)

1. VOBAN

2. Buckaroo

3. Absurd

4. Zardozi

SIMON O’DONNELL (Channel 9)

1. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR

2. Vauban

3. Zardozi

4. Saint George

DANNY RUSSELL (The Age)

1. VOBAN

2. Okita Sushi

3. Onesmoothoperator

4. Buckaroo

PETER RYAN (The Age)

1. VOBAN

2. Buckaroo

3. Earth legend

4. Onesmoothoperator

NICK QUINN (Ladbrokes)

1. BUKARU

2. Vauban

3. Blacksmith

4. Onesmoothoperator

GLENN BOSS (Melbourne Cup winning jockey)

1. VOBAN

2. Buckaroo

3. Okita Sushi

4. Onesmoothoperator

KATE BROMLEY (Ladbrokes)

1. ZARDOZI

2. Vauban

3. Onesmoothoperator

4. Sea King

MITCH LEWIS (Betfair)

1. VOBAN

2. Onesmoothoperator

3. Zardozi

4. Buckaroo