“Al Boum Photo! Back-to-back Gold Cup’s for Paul Townend, Willie Mullins and Mrs Donnelly!” Those were the elated words of Richard Hoiles as Al Boum Photo held off the late charge of Nicky Henderson’s Santini to dramatically win successive renewals of National Hunt racing’s Blue Riband event by nothing more than a neck and send the packed-out stands of Cheltenham Racecourse into delirium back in March 2020.
After crossing the winning post in those unmissable yellow and black chequered silks of Donnelly for the second year in a row, winning jockey Townend said: “I never thought I’d never feel nothing like the feeling I had here last year, but I think this is even better. It’s all about this. It’s credit to Willie [Mullins], go to Tramore for two years in a row and come here with one run, the man’s a genius.”
It was certainly a more difficult outing for Al Boum Photo on the defence of his Gold Cup two years ago, as he won the 2019 edition with considerable ease as Anibale Fly finished in second over two lengths adrift of the then seven-year-old, who was a 12/1 shot with those who bet on horses prior to the race. But Townend, Mullins and Donnelly will still be disappointed that they couldn’t land an incredibly rare hat-trick last year.
Primed and favoured to emulate the likes of the legendary Arkle and Best Mate by making it three successive Gold Cup victories, any chance of Al Boum Photo getting a statue at Prestbury Park like those aforementioned horses was put on ice as Henry de Bromhead’s fantastic Festival once again smashed through the glass ceiling with outsider Minella Indo and Jack Kennedy leading home second favourite A Plus Tard and Rachael Blackmore for a golden 1-2 for the Co. Meath trainer.
For one reason or another, whether Mullins’ tried and tested method of not running Al Boum Photo until the Grade 3 New Year’s Day Chase at Tramore and then sending him straight to Cheltenham for the Gold Cup was now outdated, or he is past his best, or De Bromhead’s horses were just better on the day, or a pinch of all three factors combined, the 10-year-old came up well short in third.
To make matters worse, he suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time since 2018 as he was beaten by Clan Des Obeaux in the Punchestown Gold Cup in April. It’s not all doom and gloom though. Al Boum Photo returned to winning ways back at Tramore on New Year’s Day, beating Burrows Saint to win the Grade 3 contest for a fourth straight time, and Mullins and co. will be hoping that history does repeat itself again this year.
The Irish trainer obviously sees no problem with the 10-year-old having just one warm-up race before the Gold Cup again this year as Al Boum Photo is now likely to go straight to Cheltenham after many had expected to see him on the track again between January 1st and the Prestbury Park showpiece, which doesn’t look likely now we are within such close proximity of the Festival.
Still, it was a performance that has perhaps given Townend the confidence to believe that Al Boum Photo can put on another show for a sold out Prestbury Park on March 18th, which might have also played a factor with last year’s meeting being held behind closed doors and without the iconic ‘Cheltenham Roar.’
“I thought he showed great enthusiasm for it again and, when I gave him a squeeze, he picked up nicely up the straight,” said the 31-year-old rider. “He has no miles on the clock and his appetite for racing is as good as ever. He showed good enthusiasm there – I don’t think he did himself any harm today. Watching the races over Christmas, and what’s happening elsewhere, I definitely think he does have a live chance in the race.”
Townend makes a good point. Ante-post favourite A Plus Tard was beaten by Galvin in the Grade 1 Savills Chase at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, and while that victory only made the Gordon Elliott-trained horse more favourable, it’s still questionable if the eight-year-old can really step up to the plate and win the Gold Cup.
Defending champion Minella Indo certainly hasn’t been at his best either, finishing third in the Down Royal Champion Chase on his seasonal reappearance before being pulled up in the King George VI Chase and failing to win the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
They are Al Boum Photo’s closet competitors, and if he’s at his best come Gold Cup Day, then there is absolutely no reason why he can’t come out on top once again at the Cheltenham Festival. Tiger Roll made the headlines when he regained the Cross Country crown last year, could this be the year of Al Boum Photo showing his youngers how it’s done and what better way to bow out?
