Ricci talks Cheltenham decisions

Connections of Limini pointed to it having been a "big ask" to pitch her into the Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after the mare failed to feature at the six-day entry stage for the two-mile blue riband.

Trainer Willie Mullins had raised the possibility he and owner Rich Ricci "might take a punt" and supplement the six-year-old following her recent victorious seasonal bow over Apple's Jade at Punchestown - a race won 12 months ago by Annie Power before she was successfully added to the Champion Hurdle field.

Ricci said: "You will probably know by now that we've decided not to run Limini in the Champion Hurdle next week and (she) will instead take up her entry in the Mares' Hurdle.

"I've said all along that there was no point supplementing for the sake of it unless we thought she'd have a big chance of winning. I never had an interest in running just to get my money back.

"Last year, when we supplemented Annie Power, we knew she'd go very close to winning, but it was difficult to say that about Limini given the fact she's had only one run this season and was taking on a field of very experienced horses. It was going to be a big ask.

"I want people to understand: I was clear all along that the decision would be made this morning and that it was far from a certainty all along what we would do.

"It's difficult when you're sitting on preview night panels to avoid being definite about things when decisions genuinely have not been made, so I sincerely hope I managed that."

Ricci admits the fact Limini will not contest the Champion Hurdle could now impact on the options for Vroum Vroum Mag, who won the Mares' Hurdle last year.

She has a handful of entries at the Festival, and t he BetBright chairman said in his blog for RTE: "What the decision on Limini means for Vroum Vroum Mag is unclear. I remember last year when we were supplementing Annie I said I wasn't sure we were supplementing the right one considering how well Vroum Vroum was working.

"So I don't know what to do. She's in the Champion Hurdle, the Mares' Hurdle and the Stayers' Hurdle.

"What you can do is to be too clever by half, spread yourself too thin and walk away with nothing. I'm not interested in that after the year we've had so, although it wouldn't be my usual stance, I wouldn't be against both Limini and Vroum Vroum Mag taking each other on.

"Both are working well, there is still a week to go and we won't be calling that until the weekend I'd imagine."

In addition to Vroum Vroum Mag, Mullins has left both Footpad and Wicklow Brave in the Champion, with Henry de Bromhead's Petit Mouchoir the leading Irish contender following his two recent Grade One victories.