Melbourne Cup 2015: Beaten owner Rich Ricci lauds ‘fantastic story’ of winner Prince Of Penzance
AS IRISH trainer Willie Mullins and Italian jockey Frankie Dettori digested Max Dynamite’s half-length second in the Melbourne Cup, English owner Rich Ricci exulted in the result.
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FAITHFUL to his eccentricity, Rich Ricci belied his reputation as a stereotypically hard-nosed English investment banker in the chaotic, bittersweet aftermath to the Melbourne Cup.
As Irish trainer Willie Mullins and Italian jockey Frankie Dettori digested Max Dynamite’s half-length second to Prince Of Penzance, Ricci exulted in the result.
More particularly, Prince Of Penzance’s rag to riches triumph and strapper Stevie Payne’s role in it.
“It was a great run by Max Dynamite and a great ride but with the winner it was a fantastic story for racing,” Ricci, one of the UK’s most successful owners, said.
Ricci was referring specifically to Prince Of Penzance’s handler Stevie Payne, who has Down Syndrome.
Payne works for trainer Darren Weir and at Saturday night’s barrier draw, he told his Cup-winning sister Michelle he would pluck barrier one.
He duly did and that advantage was pivotal in the historic victory.
Ricci was taken with the romance of the Cup triumph even as disappointment and controversy swirled around him.
“That young man (Stevie Payne) who drew the number one barrier, it’s a fantastic story for racing,” he said.
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“Better than us winning it - so great.”
“It was obviously heartbreaking to lose but it was a fantastic run.
“I think Frankie had to come around the winner didn’t he? When he did that, he lost a bit of ground and never quite got there.”
Ricci will fly out of Australia with $900,000 prizemoney - a cheque which almost triples Max Dynamite’s northern hemisphere earnings.
Connections of Max Dynamite have already confirmed they’ll be back next year.
Meanwhile, Fame Game’s connections lamented the pedestrian tempo of the Cup after the vaunted favourite struggled into lowly 13.
A $5 favourite, the Japanese star headlined a record-equalling 11 internationals in the field, but after recent seasons crammed with foreign dominance the raiders secured a modest four places in the top 10.
Kosi Kawakami, intepreter for trainer Yoshitada Munakata, said the slow pace to the 600m mark meant Fame Game had little chance.
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“The pace was far too slow for Fame Game,” Kawakami said.
“It didn’t suit him at all and that’s disappointing.
Kawakami said the Fame Game had also sustained minor cuts on his hind legs as the raiders mulled a sobering day.
With Max Dynamite (second), Trip To Paris (fourth), Big Orange (fifth) and Quest For More (ninth) finishing in the top 10, there were plenty of positives.
But the injury to Red Cadeaux (did not finish), Fame Game (13th), Bondi Beach (16th) Hokko Brave (17th), Kingfisher (19th), Sky Hunter (22nd) and Snow Sky (23rd) left the visitors rueful.
Snow Sky’s trainer Sir Michael Stoute was unimpressed with the rugged nature of the race.
“Ryan (Moore) said he would have been fifth or sixth but he got badly interfered with in the closing stages, which was a nuisance,” Stoute said.
“But he had a good run around, he travelled well and it (interference) was just annoying.”
Dettori was fined $20,000 for setting off a chain of interference on Max Dynamite.
Salting the wound, Dettori was also suspended for a month.
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Dettori plead guilty to a careless riding charge and later apologised but said the incident was out of his control.
Stewards said Dettori’s shift had a domino effect on four rival runners with Grand Marshal “checked severely” causing the horse to “almost fall”, while Preferment was another horse “severely checked.”
“It was impossible to see Mr (Chad) Schofield (Gust Of Wind),” Dettori told stewards. “It was unintentional.
“I apologise but it was beyond my control.”
Chief steward Terry Bailey was far from impressed.
“It was severe interference in the biggest race this country runs,” Bailey told Dettori.
Dettori is suspended until December 3.
Trainer Michael Bell was elated with Big Orange.
“To run so well from a bad draw (barrier 23) with a lot of weight, we are just absolutely chuffed,” Bell said.
“It was a very good effort by the horse.
“He’s a long way from home. It’s the first time he’s ever left Newmarket. He’s never stayed anywhere ever in his life.
“He’s born and bred in Newmarket. This is his first time overseas so to perform like that we’re absolutely chuffed.”
Asked if a return for next year’s Cup was on the cards, Bell said: “We’re pretty keen. We’re already talking about next year.
“Obviously, we’ll talk to the owners but he’s thrived here, he’s run his socks off so we’re delighted.”
Originally published as Melbourne Cup 2015: Beaten owner Rich Ricci lauds ‘fantastic story’ of winner Prince Of Penzance
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