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TWM, I’m not half-quoting him. This was published on the morning of 11 March on Sportinglife.com, so the quote to the Sun must have been made on or before 10th March
The County Carlow handler told The Sun: “Vautour has done far better work this week than he has in the last three (weeks).
“That tells me he should go for the Gold Cup. Every year at Christmas Vautour disappoints us a bit, and every year he improves in the spring and for the hill at Cheltenham. This year looks no different. We expect a huge run.”
As I’ve said, he is entitled to do what he wants with his horses. So is Ricci. The problem here is they have not been honest. Mullins and Ruby are saying today that the horse only came fully alive ‘this morning – with the sun on his back’. Utter nonsense.
Ruby said at a preview 10 to 14 days ago that he’d be doing whatever was needed to convince Ricci to switch Vautour to the Ryanair. A few days later Tony Mullins says publicly that Vautour would run in the Ryanair unless Djakadam wasn’t ready. Neither mentioned anything about the horse working poorly. This has been a plot, and I suspect it has been driven more by Ruby than by Mullins who should – I hope – regret being drawn into it all.
However it was that they came to the conclusion that they should switch, they should just have said they had changed their minds. It’s looking increasingly likely the story was cooked up to help change Ricci’s mind (going by his post-race comments).
It will be interesting to see the fallout from all of this. It wouldn’t be a huge shock to me if Ricci takes his horses away.
Christ, it’s worse than I thought if The Sun has not misquoted.
Value Is EverythingNever seen an owner so dissapointed to win a race as much as Ricci was ( its still a race at the festival after all). A classic case of a man talked out of it. But at the same time knowing how much Mullins wants to win the gold cup must be a massive pointer to the Djackadam.
It will be interesting to see the fallout from all of this. It wouldn’t be a huge shock to me if Ricci takes his horses away.
The more I think about that Joe, the more I think you’re right, don’t know about “wouldn’t be a huge shock”, I believe it is likely to happen if Djakadam does not win tomorrow.
Was Ricci being leant on to change Vautour’s target, as it seemed – at the time – others in the yard were saying he’d go for the Ryanair, the statement “Gold Cup or nothing” a way of putting presure back on Mullins to run in the Gold Cup?
Did Mullins then come up with a story about Vautour not being fit enough for Gold, which in effect forced Ricci to relent?
Value Is EverythingOr even worse, if Djakadam gets stuffed by Cue Card – which I very much hope he does. Ricci is entitled to take the view that a 10lbs fitter Vautour would have turned the KG form round and won him his first GC
True, and on Timeform ratings Djakadam has 10 lbs to make up on Cue Card, but then again Mullins horses have been showing improved form all week.
Value Is EverythingTo quote Kevin Keegan ” I would love it if gets beat” !!
I hopee Djakadam gets beat out of sight and leaves egg on all their faces.
I think you said Joe about the stats regarding horses that fell last time out!!And anyone that thinks they are all going to take each other on at anytime important in the future are living in a parallel universe!
COME ON CUE CARD AND DON POLI I say!!
But if Djakadam does win tomorrow then this could be one of the greatest training performances of all time. Yorkhill, Black Hercules, Annie Power, Vautour. All placed in races a few weeks ago that people were not expecting but now seem to be winning,.Go on CUE CARD but got to have a saver on Djakadam
It won’t be one of the great training performances of all time Homer!!
It shows a lack of insight and understanding and analysis of a horses best trip and the power of having owners willing to stump up multiple entry fees!! And a lack of foresight!!I would argue all day that there are and will be far better trainers than Willie Mullins .
There are loads of trainers that if they had owners willing to chuck the amount of Money the crooked banker and others have done they would have multiple grade one winners too!!
Chuck a lot of money? That’s one thing they don’t do. Min was bought for 6,000, limini was bought for buttons too. And most of the other horses cost less than 30,000. He had 13 horses entered in the Neptune at one of the declaration stages and their combined cost was less than €200,000.
And raymo a lack of insight and understanding of horses best trip? Just look at the performances of black Hercules, yorkhill, Vautour, and Annie Power. Your hardly arguing that these were running at the wrong trips?
And lack of foresight? Explain that one? Why would you make your mind up where a horse goes months before? They learn about their horses every day in the same was as punters do. Black Hercules for example they originally thought he was a 3 mile plus horse at his best but because he pulled so hard and travelled so powerfully the day he fell, it was decided that 2.5 miles would be better. Surely this was the right decision.
Again originally they thought bellshiĺl for Neptune and Yorkhill for supreme but when bellshill didn’t stay the 2.5 miles and when Yorkhill wasn’t stopping after 2 in Sandown they decided to swap. Again they made the right call.
There is no use in sticking to a plan if evidence from performaces suggest it would be a bad plan and Mullins is not afraid to change his mind on a horses best trip or conditions when presented with new evidence. Perhaps thats why he wins so many races. Plans are needed but also must be flexibleTo quote Kevin Keegan ” I would love it if gets beat” !!
I hopee Djakadam gets beat out of sight and leaves egg on all their faces.
I think you said Joe about the stats regarding horses that fell last time out!!And anyone that thinks they are all going to take each other on at anytime important in the future are living in a parallel universe!
COME ON CUE CARD AND DON POLI I say!!
Poli is a Mullins Don.
I backed Poli to win four figures, but half wish it gets beat.
Value Is EverythingIt won’t be one of the great training performances of all time Homer!!
It shows a lack of insight and understanding and analysis of a horses best trip and the power of having owners willing to stump up multiple entry fees!! And a lack of foresight!!I would argue all day that there are and will be far better trainers than Willie Mullins .
There are loads of trainers that if they had owners willing to chuck the amount of Money the crooked banker and others have done they would have multiple grade one winners too!!
But would Vautour have stayed the extra 5-6 furlongs in the GC especially with SP burning along in front. I reckon I’m taking a bit of a chance with Cue Card and he obviously outstayed Vautour in the KG. They may have multiple G1 winners but would it be season on season as Mullins has. Why do you think he gets all the greats
The extended 4 days has given them the opportunity for saying what horses go where and then rerouting them. Other owners have the same chance but don’t have the monopoly on the best recruits … Black Hercules today a prime example – a fine recruit – big powerful. The really good job is done that the people that buy them in the first place. But deliberately being misleading about which horse goes for which race that’s completely another thing .. a bit of fun smoke and mirrors is fine .. that always was the case
Give Mullins his dew, he exploits the system well.
Now there’s four days and far more Conditions races – there aren’t as many top horses in each race. Therefore – when one trainer has so many of the top horses – no point in racing them against each other.Value Is EverythingIf I was Ricci I’d be more annoyed about Annie Power not winning her 2nd champion hurdle; clear evidence now that she would have won handily 2 yrs ago but for Willie’s loyalty to The Fly. I like + admire Willie Mullins, but when too much is in the hands of too few…… (I’m a socialist btw)
Remember that old pearl of wisdom from I think Phil Bull of Timeform?
“Trust your eyes not your ears”
Give people the options and they will use them, they’d be mad not to.
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