Legendary proprietor Wealthy Ritchie is heading to Cheltenham this yr with the ‘Fashionable Horse’ for the competition, though Ritchie himself hasn’t really seen everybody’s favourite Gaelic Warrior.
The Boodles, at the moment favorites 9/4 to handicap occasions on the Tuesday card, have been very nicely supported out there after some constructive suggestions from Ricci on the Dublin Racing Pageant final month.
The British and Irish race pioneers have but to see the four-year-old French import on the racetrack, however a horny label from the British automaker – 10 kilos lower than its French counterpart – means many have nominated the Gaelic Warrior to be their “financial institution in Cheltenham”.
Talking on Get In on Friday, Richie mentioned Sky Sports activities Racing: “I’ve by no means seen him within the flesh and have by no means seen him run or run.
“We obtained him into the Cheltenham Trials day to see what mark he’ll get and he was simply anticipating and hopefully getting his French mark which was 139 and the England supervisor gave him 129 a lot to our delight.
“Right here he turned the speaking horse on Twitter however he is not my primary speaking horse and he will not be the primary to lose.
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Head coach Willie Mullins talks solely to Sky Sports activities Racing about his main rivals at this yr’s Cheltenham Pageant
“A couple of week in the past, [Willie Mullins] He mentioned he did very well with a extremely good horse however he did not inform me who the horse was. He thought if he obtained him to Cheltenham like that it will be arduous to beat him.
“I am unable to consider the worth it’s however I hope it is pretty much as good as everybody says. I’ve by no means been concerned in a plot earlier than and that is form of enjoyable!”
In his day I feel that [Chacun Pour Soi] Every part is pretty much as good as Shishkin. I undoubtedly do not anticipate us to fall in love!
The Ricci’s Pageant workforce will not have star names headed to Cheltenham as they as soon as did, however within the rebuilding interval, they will nonetheless stay up for some severe alternatives, together with Champion competitor Chase Chacun Pour Soi.
The ten-year-old has been disenchanted in his earlier two matches in Britain, together with at champions Chase final yr, however regained his type with a win at Dublin Chase in Leopardstown final month.
“If Irish Chuck seems – outdated Chuck’s assault – he has an excellent likelihood,” Ritchie mentioned. “If the English Chuck exhibits up, he will not stand an opportunity.
“A few years in the past I assumed we drove to win and the horse had a stone bruise within the morning.
“Final yr I do not know what occurred. Possibly he did not journey nicely or possibly he does not like Cheltenham however we thought we would give it to him once more.
Paul Townend has but to resolve between Chacun Pour Soi or Energumene as Chase Champ journey
“Unsure who’s going to journey however I am proud of Paul [Townend] or patrick [Mullins].
“It is an excellent race if all of them come out in nice form. I feel its on its day [Chacun Pour Soi] Every part is pretty much as good as Shishkin. I undoubtedly do not anticipate us to fall in love! “
Amongst Ricci’s different greatest possibilities comes Friday’s hurdle victory with favourite Vauban 6/4.
The winner in his native France, Galiway gelding made a promising begin for Mullins in Punchestown in December, dropping by half size to the Pied Piper.
Pied Piper and Vauban (proper) are able to battle it out once more at Cheltenham
The shape proved so stable, Piper gained actual model at Cheltenham and Vauban earned prime honors on the Dublin Racing Pageant when he beat fellow Pied Piper coach Gordon Elliott by three lengths.
“It is an attention-grabbing horse as a result of many of those victory horses are flat horses, however these are Nationwide Hunt horses,” Ritchie mentioned.
“I feel he has the potential to be a dual-purpose horse. There’s a bit class about him. In time he might be a Melbourne Cup horse.
Willy did not wish to handle it this yr, he needed to save lots of him from the Supreme subsequent yr.
“Let’s hope he handles the hill as he did Piper’s hand. He was very spectacular however I feel he beat the bushes that day!”
In Friday’s remaining, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Ritchie will as soon as once more ship coaches Venetia Williams to Royal Bagay, who was runner-up at Denman Chase in Newbury final outing.
The eight-year-old was ranked sixth within the options competitors final yr, and Ritchie has issues about dehydration.
“I actually want it had some rain as a result of it is a completely different animal on gentle floor,” Ritchie mentioned.
“On that foundation, I might have anxious about operating someplace, besides that in Newbury I feel the final day was the perfect bounce. That gave me some hope.
“He ought to run however we would take him to O’Toile for the Grand Secure Chase de Paris.”
