Having seen the interview on The Morning Line either Ricci is an extremely good actor or I don't think he's too happy about the decision. I'd be surprised if this decision was made by him.

Gold cup or nothing he said.  Damage has been done. Paddy Power was also the biggest price on Vautour for some time. ****g scandalous, and i haven't backed the horse.

While obviously the most high profile switch by this devious lot this sort of thing has been happening with them for a few seasons now, and while many people will have lost on Vautour loads of others will have very big prices on him for the Ryanair, plus better prices than they would otherwise have got for other gold cup runners.

Basically just ignore everything they say and back your own judgement about which race a horse will run in - or wait until final decs.

think this will backfire on them not only on how low they are but djackadam could hit a fence hard and come down whereas think Vatour could have won it then. If I was the owner both ould go for gold cup and not cater for walsh's greed

I think what goes around comes around anyway and I've a feeling they'll have a bad day today. Maybe 2 out of the 4 to win with perhaps Min and AP or VVM disappointing.

Just in response to a post earlier in the thread, RTR almost certainly runs in the Gold Cup with Valseur Lido in the Ryanair?

so basically , the mullins stable cleaned up on betfair.  Hence the massive drift last night and this morning.   This stinks to punters. Hope betfair refund exchange punters.

This lot have hit a new low, even for them. Utterly disgraceful and they've single handedly killed Ante Post punting.

Ain't watched it yet but there were plenty of boos in the stand as all the the Ricci horses went down to the start today. No idea whether they were booed on the way back or in the paddock.

Can see Vautour winning easily on Thursday and coming back to a Top Cees style reception. They certainly deserve it.

Vautour is definitely OK.

Absolute travesty that this horse took his place in the Ryanair, if that's 90% then the rest were cart horses are n the race. If Djakadam fails to deliver a gold cup the Mullins decision will look more ridiculous.

The "key" words from RR were "they insist" (I presumed WPM/RW) that Vautour was not working well after his assertion at Kempton in the soft; there was mooted appreciation for Vautour (hand clap) BUT dead silence when owner was interviewed on air, and he was "squirming" I believe!

With Vautour not being able to go the pace dictated by Special Tiara in the Irish Champion Chase at Punchestown earlier on any one with a CC bet at Cheltenham next year has just lost their money I firmly believe. With this failure in mind WPM has Douvan as the only bullet to retain the CC crown meaning Douvan, the only one with credential and experience over fences, is highly unlikely to be going the Gold Cup route next year, I think. And that leaves Vautour, Ryanair again? If so Djakadam back on the GC trail despite WPM's reservation.

But there is a long time between now and next March.

The worst campaigning of a grade 1 horse you are ever likely to see. It's so bad it's almost laughable. Did they perhaps believe their own lies during interviews throughout the season?

Paterson, I think some of you believed their statements. Even now, there are some who put Douvan ahead of Faugheen, just like they did with Vautour. Rich Ricci, keeps saying these stupid things and people in media, then some on here keep repeating them as facts. The latest one, Ruby said after the race "He was flat out the whole race over this trip" which RR passed it on to the ATR journalists as "he was flat, had a hard campaign" So from Ruby saying he was going as blazing fast as he could to RR reporting he was flat because of too much racing :) Then people will say its end of season form. But everyone who watched the race and saw how he stayed late on get that he lacked the speed to make the blow then stamina kicked in somewhat in the last part. Certainly lacks the 'boost' thats needed in these speed races but thats ok because he'll be a good GC candidate next season, hopefully they go down that route..