ENGLISH TEXTS son, Patrick.”
IMPAIRE ET PASSE
16 races 11 victories, including 5 Gr. 1
Still in training, Impaire et Passe is among the finest representatives of the Mullins – Munir – Souede trio. Yet, it was in France that he grew up, bred by SCEA Haras de Peyre and Pascale Papon, before being sold for € 155,000 by Yannick Fouin to Highflyer Bloodstock during ARQANA’ s first online pop-up sale in April 2022, following his victorious flat debut at Nancy. This son of Diamond Boy will also be remembered as the last winner ridden by top jockey Daryl Jacob, on December 28, 2024, in a Group 1 at Limerick. Described by his connections as an excellent jumper, the 7-year-old, who notably triumphed in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle( Gr. 1)- just two days before his stablemate I Am Maximus captured the Grand National in April 2024, may not have finished surprising us yet.
EL FABIOLO
17 races 8 victories, including 4 Gr. 1
As Patrick Mullins, son of Willie, pointed out, El Fabiolo might learn from his mistakes. Having taken a heavy fall in his most recent outing, a Group 1 at Aintree this year, the 8-year-old gelding has been stringing together“ F’ s”( for fallen) in 2025. But that’ s not what we’ ll remember. No, what stays in memory are his dazzling performances: his Group 1 victories at Leopardstown, Punchestown, and of course Cheltenham, during its legendary Festival, where he captured the Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase, defeating the crack Jonbon, brother of Douvan. A son of Spanish Moon, El Fabiolo was bred by Francis Dunn and began his career with Patricia Butel and Jean-Luc Beaunez. After finishing seventh on the flat, then third over hurdles at Auteuil in the important Prix Finot( Listed), the colt quickly caught the eye of bloodstock agents. The rest, as they say, happened under Willie Mullins’ s care.
RICH RICCI
BY LOÏC STECHER CHOCRON
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Born in 1964 in the state of Nebraska in the United States, Rich Ricci, a former Barclays executive, became involved in National-Hunt racing in Ireland in 2005, where he struck up a friendship with trainer Willie Mullins. When the owner asked him that year,“ Why aren’ t you the number one trainer?”, Willie Mullins replied that he did not have horses of that calibre. It was then that Rich Ricci promised to give him the right“ ammunition.” Since then, they have been inseparable. In December 2024, Rich Ricci celebrated his 100 th Gr. 1 victory when Royale Pagaille, trained by Venetia Williams, won a second consecutive Betfair Chase at Haydock. Of those 100 top-level wins, the Irish master has supplied the pink silks with green spots … 98 victories! A tally that has continued to grow, as the duo has collected three more Group 1s in 2025.
LOSSIEMOUTH
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14 races 11 victories, including 7 Gr. 1
BY CÉLINE GUALDE
March 11 th, 2025, Cheltenham. The famous owner Rich Ricci leaves his box and rushes toward the parade ring, a smile on his face. Despite the sunglasses and the hat pulled low over his brow, giving him the appearance of a private detective, a clear expression of relief can be seen. His mare Lossiemouth has just won the Mares’ Hurdle for the second time! Rich Ricci is delighted, and yet he didn’ t see a moment of the race: he was too nervous to open his eyes. But he heard the excitement of the people around him, and above all the huge roar from the Cheltenham stands, a rolling wave riding which Lossiemouth surged down the home straight, pushed only by Paul Townend’ s arms to fly toward her tenth career victory. If Rich Ricci was so anxious, it is because Lossiemouth was coming off a fall at Leopardstown a month earlier. Willie Mullins therefore ultimately preferred to send her to the Mares’ Hurdle, reserved, as its name suggests, for mares, rather than the Champion Hurdle where she would have had to face the males. But no matter: the extraordinary Lossiemouth, only six years old, already boasts three Cheltenham Festival victories and seven Group 1 wins on her record. The daughter of Great Pretender was born at Élevage des Vallons in Brée( Mayenne), where she was co-bred by the owners of the premises, Cécile and Nicolas Madamet, and their Scottish friends Susan and Ian Kellitt. A story of friendship:
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