Willie Mullins was not ruling out a future bid for Lexus Melbourne Cup glory after watching his favourite Vauban disappoint in the Flemington highlight.

The Irish handler rated Vauban and stablemate Absurde as his best ever chance in the two-mile contest, but while the latter horse performed with credit in seventh, Vauban trailed home 14th in the hands of Ryan Moore.

The five-year-old, who is a multiple Grade One winner over hurdles, carried plenty of confidence into the race having registered a wide-margin win over Absurde at Royal Ascot before following up in a Group Three at Naas in August.

Ryan Moore appeared to have a good position on Vauban but he faded in the straight to be beaten over 13 lengths by winner Without A Fight.

“I thought Vauban was a little disappointing all round. He was beaten too far out for my liking,” Mullins told www.racing.com.

“When I saw him six furlongs out with Ryan having to give him a little niggle, I thought, ‘that’s too far out for him to be niggling him’. He just flattened out and ran very disappointing.

“But there we are. That’s the nature of this game.”

Moore said: “Obviously a disappointing run from him. Maybe he didn’t fire today, the winner was very good, and we didn’t get home today unfortunately.”

Ebor winner Absurde was well supported before the start and posted a fine effort for jockey Zac Purton, hitting the front with two furlongs to run before fading in the closing stages.

Mullins said “I thought Absurde ran a cracker. He was in a position to win at one stage coming up the straight but didn’t see it out.”

Purton added: “He travelled nicely, he presented at the right time, he just didn’t run through the line. Anyway, he ran well, but not what we wanted.”

Vauban has not won over hurdles since the 2022 Punchestown Festival but placed three times at the highest level last term, while Absurde has won one of his two runs over obstacles and Mullins will take stock before deciding on a return to the National Hunt sphere.

He said: “We will bring them back, see how they are. They are dual-purpose horses. If either of them had won they wouldn’t have jumped a hurdle again.”

Mullins has won virtually every major prize in jumps racing but his multiple Australian raids have ended in disappointment, with Max Dynamite his best performer having finished second in 2015 and third in 2017 in the colours of Vauban’s owners Susannah and Rich Ricci.

Despite leaving empty handed again, Mullins would be eager to run if the right candidate comes along.

“It’s a great prize, it’s a great day, great occasion,” he said.

“If we get one good enough, we will try again.”

Without A Fight stormed home to complete a big-race double in the Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained runner won the Caulfield Cup on his previous run and followed up in style under Mark Zahra in the two-mile Group One.

Previously trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, Without A Fight finished 13th in the Melbourne Cup last year, but 12 months on, he was a clear-cut victor.

Willie Mullins-trained duo Vauban and Absurde have fared well in the Lexus Melbourne Cup draw, being allotted stalls three and eight respectively.

Vauban is a firm favourite to win the race that stops a nation at Flemington on Tuesday after this season adding some impressive Flat form to his high-class hurdling exploits.

The five-year-old romped home by seven and a half lengths in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot before winning the Group Three Ballyroan Stakes at Naas.

Absurde was runner-up to his stablemate at Ascot and has since claimed victory in the Ebor at York.

Mullins finished second in Australia’s biggest race back in 2015 with Max Dynamite and believes he has the ammunition to go one better this time.

Ryan Moore is set to partner Vauban and Mullins said: “I think he’s as good as Max Dynamite and maybe better, we’ll find out that on Tuesday.

“It’s our strongest chance ever, it probably will be my strongest chance ever.

“We wouldn’t want to forget Absurde either, he did it very well with Frankie (Dettori) in the Ebor, Frankie gave him a terrific ride there.

“He has quarantined very well, and I think he’s in great shape.”

Zac Purton has been booked to ride Absurde and Mullins feels he has improved since clashing with Vauban at the Royal meeting.

“I think it’s going to be a different race and I think Absurde is going to be a different horse as well,” added the Irish trainer on racing.com.

“He’s learned to settle a good bit more and now that he’s got a nice draw, I think he’ll be able to put him where he wants him and that’ll make a huge difference.

“There was probably 20 lengths between them passing the winning post the first time around at Royal Ascot, there won’t be that here, I hope.”

Joseph O’Brien has already sent down two previous winners in Rekindling and Twilight Payment and this time relies on Okita Soushi.

He was also a Royal Ascot scorer in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes but struggled in the Caulfield Cup last time out and is an outsider here after being drawn out wide in stall 20.

Defending champion Gold Trip will line up alongside Vauban in stall two, former William Haggas inmate Soulcombe is in four and Caulfield Cup hero Without A Fight, previously trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, has drawn 16.

Melbourne Cup favourite Vauban posted an impressive workout as he enjoyed a first look at Flemington.

Willie Mullins’ charge heads the market for next Tuesday’s feature after recording a seven-and-a-half-length win in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot in June before booking his ticket to Australia with a cosy victory in the Ballyroan Stakes in August.

A three-times Grade One winner over hurdles, Vauban worked in company with stablemate and fellow Cup contender Absurde at Flemington, pulling away from the Ebor victor in comfortable fashion.

Mullins’ assistant David Casey has been overseeing the pair’s preparations for the Group One handicap and he is more than satisfied with Vauban heading into the two-mile race.

“Everything seems good, we’re having a ball,” Casey told www.racing.com.

“The horse has been very relaxed, taken it all in, done everything we’ve asked, great to get a morning like this morning to come to Flemington and see something different.

“It’s all just a good experience for him for race day.”

Vauban is a best-priced 3-1 with bet365, with Absurde a general 14-1 chance for the Melbourne Cup.