Ben Allen will return to one of Australian racing’s most prestigious staying contests when he partners international contender Absurde in Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield.

The booking marks the 25-year-old jockey’s first appearance in the Caulfield Cup since 2018 when he rode Night’s Watch, and it reunites him with renowned Irish trainer Willie Mullins, who prepared his previous Melbourne Cup mount Thomas Hobson in 2017.

Allen famously picked up that ride at short notice when Joao Moreira was ruled out following a fall earlier in the day, guiding Thomas Hobson to an impressive sixth place in the Melbourne Cup (3200m). Now, eight years later, he’s back aboard another Mullins-trained galloper with genuine claims in Australia’s premier 2400m handicap.

“I asked my manager to give them a call and see if the ride was available, but we only had an old number for them, and it was disconnected,” Allen said. “By chance, Paul Bloodworth gave her a call after he had put together a list of riders for them. I did ride Thomas Hobson in the Melbourne Cup, so maybe that helped.”

Allen will take the reins on Absurde in the Caulfield Cup before handing over to Kerrin McEvoy for the Melbourne Cup on November 4. The Melbourne-based jockey said he was eager to make the most of the rare opportunity to represent one of Europe’s leading stables in a race that consistently delivers high drama.

“I’ve watched a couple of his Cup runs and I’ll go and have a look at the rest of races,” Allen said. “He looks the ideal ride for this type of staying race, and he will need a genuine tempo and nine times out of 10 they are run at a pretty good gallop. It’s been a while since I’ve ridden in the Caulfield Cup, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Allen joins a growing list of Australian riders to have linked up with international trainers in this year’s Caulfield Cup, underlining the global reach of the race. Punters can compare odds and bonuses for the big event through Australia’s best betting sites.