Max Dynamite’s owner Rich Ricci believes champion Irish jumps trainer Willie Mullins is a magician who can turn a hurdler into a Melbourne Cup winner.
After all, another Irish trainer has already managed to do just that – Dermot Weld and the first European-trained horse, Vintage Crop.
Mullins trained Simenon to fourth place in the 2013 Melbourne Cup and while stablemate Max Dynamite has not had a lead-in race in Australia before Tuesday’s Cup, Ricci believes the best is yet to come.
“I don’t think we’ve seen how good he is. Willie’s a magician.”
Ricci has 60 jumps horses with Mullins, as well as a few flat horses with other trainers.
“I think he has an eye for structure, for conformation of a horse, for the way a horse moves,” Ricci said.
“I think that makes him very very different.”
Max Dynamite has done well over hurdles but also shown form on the flat, Ricci said.
“In his work at home he was just showing so much we thought we’d give him a go on the flat and of course suddenly he’s done very well and done us proud.”
American Ricci, the former head of Barclay’s investment banking unit, is a big investor in jumps racing in Ireland and one of the most successful owners.
He said he understands the controversial nature of jumps racing in Australia and the health of the horse is first and foremost.
Ricci has been talking to Australian jumps racing representatives during his trip.
“They’re interested in trying to get a race together that might attract an international field as well. I’d love that,” he said.
London-based Ricci is not quite sure how he feels about being the owner of a Melbourne Cup horse.
“It’s just one of those things that I just can’t consider myself winning because we’re so ingrained in National Hunt racing I suppose,” he said.
“I’m probably a philistine in most of Australian society I imagine having the audacity to run a jumps horse here.
“I’d definitely come back either on the flat if I had a horse or over jumps, it’s fantastic.”
