Rich Ricci: It’s been an incredible ride

At the height of the financial crisis back in 2013, Rich Ricci was described by one newspaper as “the poster child for the excesses of the investment banking industry”.

For Willie Mullins, Ricci would likely be better known as manna from heaven as the Closutton handler houses the owner’s string of National Hunt superstars.

While Faugheen’s injury has seen him ruled out of a Stan James Champion Hurdle defence, Ricci still has the likely favourite for the two-mile hurdling crown after wonder-mare Annie Power was drafted in as an apparent super-sub.