Racing greats Michelle Payne and Glenn Boss both agree on which horse will win the Melbourne Cup

Racing greats Michelle Payne and Glenn Boss both agree which horse has the potential to blow away the rest of the field in this year’s Melbourne Cup.

Everyone seems to become a racing expert on Melbourne Cup day, but picking a winner in the country’s most famous race is a lottery for most Australians.

Luckily, experts Michelle Payne and Glenn Boss have given their insights on who to support – and both agree on one name. Vauban.

Vauban was sent out as favorite last year but finished at the back half of the field, but the Irish stayer has been in great form since.

“If the best version of Vauban emerges, he might just blow this Melbourne Cup field away,” Boss wrote in a News Corp column.

‘What is clear going into this cup is how strong the form of the internationals has been.

“Just look at the way Onesmoothoperator and Sea King played their rivals in the Geelong and Bendigo Cups in recent weeks.

‘While they are both clearly exciting stayers on the rise, Vauban’s form at home has been orders of magnitude better than theirs – and that has happened in some of the best stay races in that part of the world.

Glenn Boss says Vauban’s form has been great in the lead up to the great race

“His trainer Willie Mullins is one of the best.

“He has admitted that he did something wrong with Vauban’s preparation last year, so I am willing to forgive the run completely.”

Payne, the only female jockey to win the great race, also has Vauban as the big favourite.

‘I think the barrier draw is really ideal for him. He can get into positions from midfield that you would think and he is definitely one of the horses to beat,” Payne wrote in a column for Broad sports world.

“They changed their training from last year, he was clearly hyped and they don’t think it worked. They still believe they have a horse that can win the race and I think he is certainly one of the top four in this year’s Cup.”

Both Payne and Boss are also interested in Buckaroo’s chances, despite him putting up a heavy barrier to the race holding a country back.

Payne says the Irish stayer will be tough to beat on Tuesday

Vauban was favorite last year, but finished in the back half of the field

‘Buckaroo is by far the best of the locals. He pushed the Ladbrokes Cox Plate winner (Via Sistina) back two starts at Flemington in the Turnbull and then his Caulfield Cup run was excellent,” Boss said.

‘The big question is: will he run the 3200 meters? Yes, he reached over 8,000 feet at Caulfield, but I still have some doubts about the extra 800 yards.”

Payne agrees with Boss, but thinks the barrier issue could make things difficult for Buckaroo.

‘The barrier says it all. “He was excellent in the Caulfield Cup, he couldn’t have been better and was just shuffled back into the field through no fault of his own, that’s just how the race played out,” she said.

‘It was an excellent performance there and he is a horse with great foot movement and very strong through the line.

“He will obviously be very difficult to beat but it could depend on where Joao Moreira can put him from that barrier and who knows, it could just be the luck of the draw with him.”