Rich Ricci celebrates after Lossiemouth's superb win at Cheltenham

Owner Rich Ricci

Fire Warning to make UK debut at Newbury on Wednesday

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Mon January 12, 2026 · 17h ago

Connections of Fire Warning can’t wait to see what the big-money buy can do on track ahead of his UK debut at Newbury on Wednesday.

The five-year-old was bought for €340,000 at the Arqana Arc Sale in early-October after finishing runner-up over hurdles at Auteuil, and he starts out for new trainer Nicky Henderson in the silks of Susannah and Rich Ricci.

Fire Warning, already no bigger than 20/1 for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, will be ridden by James Bowen in the two-mile BoyleSports Home Of Early Payout Novices’ Hurdle at 13:05.

Ricci’s racing manager Joe Chambers told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: “I’ve probably had more messages over the weekend about him than I have anything else. Nicky has been very complimentary about him, I can say that much.

“He and Rich decided they’d have another swing of the bat about 10 months ago, we haven’t had much luck with Nicky in previous ventures. So I’m hoping for Rich, Susannah and Nicky that this guy turns out pretty well.

“He was a horse that Nicky was keen to get hold of – he things he’s a bang-two-miler for now at least and he fits the type of horse that he likes and that he seems to excel with.

“So I’m hoping the compliments that have been shared thus far are backed up by what we see on Wednesday afternoon.”

Chambers went on to confirm that star hurdler Lossiemouth was still very much on course for the Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival, while it is still unclear whether Gaelic Warrior - last seen finishing a close third in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day and entered for the Irish Gold Cup at the end of this month - would run again before the Cheltenham Festival.

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