Willie Mullins and owner Rich Ricci were dealt a savage blow on Sunday, with the death of their brilliant 7-year-old Vautour (Fr) (Robin Des Champs {Fr}–Gazelle De Mai {Fr}, by Dom Pasquini {Fr}). The three-time Cheltenham Festival winner tragically broke a leg while enjoying a morning in his paddock.
Commenting on the circumstances Willie Mullins said, “Vautour was out in the paddock with his usual companion Shaneshill. One of the girls went out to feed him and Vautour was found to have broken his foreleg. He goes out there every day and it's just a freak accident. Its tough to take.”
A winner of 10 of his sixteen races and earnings of $742,389, including five at Grade 1 level, Vautour was bred by Haras De Saint Voir & Patrick Joubert and began his racing career in France before being purchased by Rich Ricci and becoming one of the stars of Mullins's powerful squad of jumpers. He was last seen finishing second at the Punchestown Festival in April, having previously been the scintillating winner of the G1 Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham a month earlier.
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