LEGENDARY owner Rich Ricci and Willie Mullins have teamed up with a horse who’s being dubbed racing’s ‘next superstar’.
The Closutton boss and investment banker Ricci have had loads of success with French recruits in the past.
Vauban won the Triumph Hurdle and is favourite for this year’s Melbourne Cup once again after finishing mid-pack when sent off favourite last year.
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Vautour, Chacun Pour Soi and Royale Pagaille are just some of the runners in recent years the duo have poached from France.
But one name in particular is all the rage this year and has already been made the 8-1 favourite for the Triumph Hurdle in March.
It’s the aptly-named Willy De Houelle who will be this year’s ‘talking horse’.
Huge things are expected of this three-year-old, who won on debut and then finished runner-up to France’s best juvenile hurdler, Nietzsche Has, when next seen.
That was in the Prix Go Ahead back in April, with the fourth-placed Sony Bill also going to Mullins.
But it’s the ownership of Ricci and his history of brilliant horses that makes Willy De Houelle so interesting.
French racing expert Adam Mills said on the Let’s Talk Racing podcast that the colt is ‘the daddy of all’ French juveniles who have moved to Ireland.
For context, JP McManus is believed to have purchased around 11 horses in all from France over the summer – and he’s no mug when it comes to poaching top talent.
But speaking of Willy De Houelle, Mills said: “He’s the daddy. This is the No1.
“All summer-long I get DMs asking where horses have gone, and this is the No1 name.
“He had been exported and no one knew where he had gone… but what’s really significant is he has gone to Ricci and Mullins – and they generally don’t make mistakes with their French purchases.
“He won the same race Quilixios (former Triumph Hurdle winner) won, so on debut he’s probably topped 130 on ratings.
“I now have him to a mark of about 138 – but most important he has come from Arnaud Chaille-Chaille who is, at present, the best trainer in France and a genius.
“Willy De Houelle is the Triumph Hurdle favourite and he’s been heavily backed.
“Would I take 8-1 now? Maybe not. But if the Triumph Hurdle was run tomorrow I’d make him evens money favourite.
“Until something improves past him he’s the best three-year-old purchase this summer by some distance.”
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