Irish master trainer Willie Mullins dismissed rumors of a Melbourne Cup win when he said Vauban was his best chance of winning the race that stopped a nation.

Mullins had his work cut out for him at Flemington last year after Vauban was named the favorite and finished at the back half of the field.

Its stablemate Absurde was also in good spirits and fared better in seventh.

Vauban is currently the $7 second favorite behind the Chris Waller-trained Buckaroo ($6) in Tuesday’s $8 million feature, with Absurde ($10) on the fifth betting line.

Mullins has tried to win the Cup on several occasions, coming closest when Max Dynamite came second to the 100-1 thrashing of Prince Of Penzance in 2015 and third to Rekindling two years later.

“As we know, you don’t come and collect the award,” Mullins said.

“A lot of people rated us for this last year, but I think our horses’ preparation this year is good.

“Vuban’s form has been very good all season and he brings great depth of form to the race.

“Absurde has done nothing wrong and I think he is a horse that is constantly maturing in his mind.”

Pressed on the selection of his two runners, Mullins said: “Vauban’s form is remarkable.

“But I don’t know how good the other horse is; he continues to improve.”

Top-weight Vauban (55.5 kg) and champion British jockey William Buick will jump from barrier 11, while three-time Cup-winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy will guide Absurde (52.5 kg) from barrier seven.

“I’m very, very pleased with the draw. I don’t think we can blame the barriers or anything like that,” Mullins said.

“The weather forecast looks good, I think it’s 25 or 26 degrees and sunny, we should be able to handle that.

“Last year was a tough 30-plus grade for Irish horses.”

Mullins is desperate to win the race, which he first witnessed live in 1993, when countryman Dermot Weld took the trophy with the Vintage Crop in its first year as an international race.

“This is probably the biggest flat race in the world that I can win with the type of horses we buy,” the 68-year-old trainer said.

“So it’s a race we really want to win.

“We’re trying to come back and win. Hopefully this year will be our year.”

Mullins stopped short of agreeing with suggestions that the 2024 cup pitch will be softer than last year.

“I don’t really know, but people tell me it is,” he said.

“There’s a very good favorite (Buckaroo), but he probably didn’t have the best draw in the race.

“But he’ll be hard to beat.”

AAP