Rich Ricci apologises for rerouting Vautour to Ryanair Chase

Owner Rich Ricci has apologised to any punters who are feeling “let down” following the decision to run Vautour in tomorrow’s Ryanair Chase rather than Friday’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Ricci has been widely reported to have said Vautour would run in the Gold Cup or not at all at Cheltenham at a preview evening earlier this month — a statement the owner does not deny.

However, Ricci said the thought process behind rerouting the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old to the extended two-and-a-half-mile Ryanair Chase was made “in the best interests of the horse”.