Rich Ricci ATR Interview

Rich Ricci Interviewed by Matt Chapman on ATR

Rich Ricci, a former head of Barclays corporate and investment banking, is better known in the racing world for owning the best jump horses around! Predominantly operating in Ireland he and Willie Mullins have struck up a phenomenal partnership on the National hunt scene, highlighted at last season’s Cheltenham Festival. The first day’s big races were dominated by Douvan and Faugheen with only an awful mistake by Annie Power at the last in the Mare’s race denying them a brilliant hattrick. Later in the week the ultra impressive Vautour won the JLT Novice by 15 lengths and is now a big Festival favourite for 2016! But where do they all fit in to their plans? Ricci is renowned for keeping his private life private. Nobody actually knows the exact location of where he grew up and a director at Barclays once said about him: ”He’s bald and he gets shit done, that’s all we know!”

Last night Matt Chapman interviewed the American on At The Races and they talked about his horses and their schedules for the coming season. Although cagey about his private life Ricci has always been open about his horses and their chances which endears him to the media and punters alike. Here are some of the main points from last night’s interview:

– FULHAM ROAD named his ‘outstanding’ bumper horse for the season with honourable mentions for TARARE, VIGOVILLE & AURKO
– FAUGHEEN targeted at retaining the Champion Hurdle. The Morgiana (Punchestown) and defending the Christmas Hurdle (Kempton) before going on to Cheltenham is the current plan
– DOUVAN is set to go Novice Chasing this season
– DICOSIMO & KALKIR are both to be kept over hurdles. It seems they will be more likely to pay their way this way than over fences
– VAUTOUR goes for the Gold Cup at the Festival but NOT the Betfair Chase! “We have to go for the Gold Cup” said Ricci
– DJAKADAM also goes for the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Ricci stating it’s better to have two bullets than one
– VROUM VROUM MAG looks set to go the Ryanair route according to Ricci last night