Just thinking about the firepower with which Rich Ricci will be heading to Cheltenham this year, I begin to wonder whether he hasn't revolutionised the art of racehorse ownership, certainly in the National Hunt sphere. Min, Douvan, Vroum Vroum Mag, Faugheen, Annie Power, Pont Alexandre and a decent novice chaser for the handicap could see a possible unprecedented clean sweep of the first day at Cheltenham. This before we even consider the likes of Long Dog, Thomas Hobson, American Tom, Limini, Fulham Road, Bordini, Arbre De Vi, Renneti, Sempre Medici, Champagne Fever, Dogora, Turcagua, Some Neck, Karalee, Let's Dance, Pylonthepressure, Vautour and Djakdam for the rest of the meeting. Whilst Ricci has certainly spent plenty, it is clear that his investments are also shrewd (Min cost less than €20K for example) and although I haven't seen any numbers, I would think his return on investment is significantly better than O'Leary, McManus, Connell et al. So what is his secret? Clearly he employs the best trainer and jockey around, but I would also imagine those advising him on purchases know their onions, particularly (it would seem) in terms of French-breds. Does anyone have any more info on the Ricci set up and who the key players are? This is surely a team without parallel in NH racing? Also, how many winners can he have at this year's Cheltenham festival?
Harold Kirk (Mullins assistant) who does most of the advising and buying for the Mullins yard. He travels to view them and if he likes what he see 's then he's given licence to go get them. Seldom in the limelight, he obviously has a very good eye.
I think the most impressive aspect is there not going in with an open cheque book spending fortunes like McManus, Munir, Gigginstown or Barry Connell do. You'll find more often than not Ricci ends up with the 3rd or 4th in a race while someone else pays 15 - 25% more on those that finished ahead. Min being the prime example, finished 3rd and 4th in France, barely noticed, Nicholls ends up with the one finished in front, yet ones the Supreme jolly, the other couldn't win a Class 5 maiden round Ludlow! Vautour was beaten in France by a horse called Black River also ended up with Paul Nicholls. So there not paying a kings ransom, buying lessor lights yet improving them beyond recognition into Cheltenham horses. Quite a feat, if anyone knew their secret I guess everyone would be doing it
They bought Min because his sire is the same as Douvans and he was doing great things at home so they wanted to take a chance on another. I think Ricci does buy a lot of horses though. We just don't hear about the ones that don't make the grade or get hit by injury.
Nothing compared to McManus but then JP has probably put a whole lot more in to racing than the Riccis- This festival I reckon he will have MIN DOUVAN FAUGHEEN ANNIE POWER/VVM VAUTOUR (if he ends up the Ryanair) Will have a busy Tuesday but could be very quiet the other 3days will probably crop up with another winner (LIMINI) most likely so only the 5/6 winners but 4 on the first day - I think he needs to buy some decent novice chasers, his string is lacking
I guess they must be looking at conformation, development stage and scope and style of racing. If I had a potential superstar youngster, the last thing I would do is overface it/hard train it to win some tin pot prize. I would be looking after it with the long term in mind. There is a lot more to horses than form in the book. Matey boy is obviously very good at spotting these. Seems like Nicholl's rep is a "form judge"
I think Kirk said he could tell you all he needed to know simply by seeing the horse walk for a bit. He said everything you needed to know was there but you need to know what to look for which was the part he didn't elaborate on!
I think that what they do is to buy horses that have something to work on rather than horses that have been hardened to win early. Many of their horses did not win their debut races and came from relatively smaller yards. There is also a trend that horses placed in Irish point to points in recent years progress past the winners of such races and the feeling is that those point to point winners were trained to win their points and be sold for a kings ransom. Spotting the ones that will improve past their peers is an art and one that team Mullins has been getting perfectly right in recent years.
Robin Des Champs has been kind to them as well...he's a sire they like to take foals from quite regularly.
http://bloodstock.racingpost.com/ne...rainer-mckeever-proves-the-kingmaker/2013659/ Interesting link on where Graham Wylie has acquired the 'Hills' and a bit of background on how McKeever preps his point to pointers to attract the likes of Mullins to buy his young horses. Very much the case Wylie buys predominantly from the point to point field whilst Ricci tends to buy mainly from France, though of course he did purchase the Champion Hurdler from the point to point field
Oh to answer the question Oddy asked I'll have a stab at what Ricci wins. Min- seems the whispers were on the money Douvan- easy Faugheen- easy Annie Power- and she's up and over the last this time Renneti- Coral Cup good thing Vautour- Ryanair hack up Limini- unleash the beast Willie! I've left out VVM, even though I've a notion she could run in the handicap chase on Tuesday and have a very good chance if she did. No doubt they'll have a horse or five for the County. Seven winners anyway!
Eh? Won the County Hurdle and Martin Pipe last season? His record in handicap chases is the one the stats boys chuck out regularly but he's certainly adept at picking up handicap hurdles at Chelts! In fact I'd say he's out in front of anyone over the last five seasons.
Yikes! I was supposed to type chases In that what makes you think Mag will run there, never crossed my mind actually.
I do sometimes wonder if NH racing is in the early stages of a terminal decline and the current leading owners are really only making things a whole lot worse. Over the last few years the transfer of horses from the Flat sphere to the NH one, has in the main, just not been happening. This is because the transfer a 80-90 rated animal or above to jump racing really is no longer an attractive option. Why chase £2-3k prize pots when you could get oodles more dough by (i) targeting the new AW championship or other decent prizes on our own AW tracks, (ii) aim the horse at the Dubai Carnival, or (iii) sell for monster money to either Hong Kong, Dubai, Qatar or Australia. The latter in particular are paying mega money for middle distance types to aim at ‘Cup’ races as they just don’t breed such animals in their own country. This cut off of a major supply line of animals means they are now only, at the top end, really available from the British or Irish pointing field or from France. The thing is though that these such really good horses are all known of (its no secret as to how good they are / could be) and therefore only available for mega money. And they as a result almost are all going to the power houses of Ricci, McManus or Gigginstown. The owners in the 'championship' bracket, to use a footballing analogy, level of dough are then picking up the next level. I really can see it only being a matter of time, if indeed it ain't already happening, before these 3 owners monopolise the sport. Worrying times ahead methinks as I really don't think it healthy that the main stars are spread so thinly amongst the current leading owners.
True Barney but it's very sweet to beat them. I recall driving up north with my 9yo daughter (Amanda) in our Volvo estate pulling a trailer with one 138cm pony that cost us £3,000. Not even registered with BSJA (as it as known then) when we bought it. Bloody great live-in horseboxes in the packed parking area, ours was the only trailer there. Ponies costing a fortune. Beat the lot, finished at midnight, slept in the back of the Volvo and drove back next morning. Another show, down south, was heavily sponsored by someone who had imported a top pony for hundred and something grand. Amanda won all the major prizes - extra sweet. I won't go on but I'm 100% certain that winning with something you have produced yourself, that didn't cost a fortune, must be far more rewarding, especially as that particular combination became the top ranked in the UK in the 138cm category. We still have that pony and at the age of 30 she still looks great and raring to go.
A touch melodramatic Sir Barney perhaps? Since the turn of the century only War Of Attrition and Synchronised have lifted the Cheltenham Gold Cup for the powerhouse 3 you mention. The likes of Coneygree, Bobs Worth, Long Run and even Kauto Star did not belong to big owners (Clive Smith only had a handful of horses). Two McManus winners plus Faugheen paints a similar story in the Champion Hurdle. The Grand National's most winning owner in recent years has been old boy Trevor Hemmings. I do agree that the small number of really good NH horses is damaging the pattern system though - far too many graded races with either minute fields or a 1-5 favourite.
Melodramatic...moi?!? How very, very dare you! Oddy, got to disagree I think its getting a tad ‘out of hand’ at the top of the jumping game. Ricci and to a lesser extent Gigginstown look set to dominate Grade 1’s, at Cheltenham, this term and for a very long time in my book and I just don’t see that as a good thing. McManus, is perhaps in a different category. I think his recruitment and management policy is very amateurish and that is preventing him achieving what he should (given how much he actually pays out to take part in NH racing). Given a successful overhaul of these and he too should be up there competing with the aforementioned 2 other types. Can any other owners really compete though apart from perhaps the odd horse here and there??? I won’t though dwell on the point that Mr McManus would have had far more Champion Hurdle trophies on his old mantelpiece, in my opinion, if had he employed a different rider during the period 2009/14. Nope that is not a subject for this thread. Incidentally re old boy Trev (isn’t he worth about half a billion by the way???) and the GN he may have one barned with Mr Henderson who could win him yet another GN. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more...
