Mullins chasing rare double

On Sunday morning (Melbourne time), Mullins registered his first win at the Breeders' Cup meeting in the US when Ethical Diamond took out the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar. 

Mullins is now bound for Melbourne to watch Absurde line up for the third time in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday. 

The Irish trainer is due to arrive in Melbourne on Monday morning with fellow Breeders' Cup winning training Bill Mott who scored with Scylla in the Distaff. 

Mott will saddle the first US-trained galloper to contest the Melbourne Cup, Parchment Party. 

Mullins has been attempting to win the Melbourne since the early 2000's when he came out to Australia with Holy Orders who ran 17th to Makybe Diva in the first of her three Cup wins while the closest he has come to winning the Cup was in 2015 when second with Max Dynamite. 

Absurde has finished seventh and fifth respectively in the past two Melbourne Cups and his third attempt comes after a pleasing seventh in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18. 

A scare went through the Mullins camp on Thursday when Racing Victoria vets said the gelding had an altered gait from video supplied prior to coming to Melbourne. 

David Casey, who has been in Melbourne looking after Absurde, was not concerned and the gelding was given the green light to start by RV vets on Saturday morning. 

All Melbourne Cup runners need to pass a final fitness test on Monday. 

"I check him after every run and piece of work at home, and I know the way he is," Casey said. 

"It (the inspection) was soon after his piece of work (on Thursday) and I knew he would be fine the next morning. 

"Thankfully, he was good on Friday and again on Saturday morning and touch wood, I expect everything to be good on Monday." 

In a change to previous trips for the Cup, Absurde had a lead up race in the Caulfield Cup, finishing seventh to Cup favourite Half Yours. 

"He pulled out of the run very good.," Casey said. 

"I think the race did him the world of good and his work during the week was very good. 

"I'm not sure that we want all the rain that is coming, but we'll deal with it and we're looking forward to the race." 

Kerrin McEvoy is looking to join Harry White and Bobbie Lewis on four Cup winners when he partners Absurde on Tuesday.