Ben Allen will make his long-awaited return to the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) this Saturday when he partners international contender Absurde.

The Victorian jockey received the call-up to ride the Willie Mullins-trained stayer before Kerrin McEvoy takes over for the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4.

Allen’s connection with Mullins dates back to 2017 when, as an apprentice, he rode Thomas Hobson into sixth place in the Melbourne Cup after Joao Moreira was sidelined following a fall earlier in the day.

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

Allen said Absurde looks well-suited to the Caulfield Cup and is expecting a genuine tempo. “It’s been a while since I’ve ridden in the Caulfield Cup, so I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.