Al Boum Photo repeats in Cheltenham Gold Cup

CHELTENHAM, England - Al Boum Photo became the second horse to win consecutive runnings of the Grade 1 Cheltenham Gold Cup in this century with a patient ride from jockey Paul Townend at Cheltenham Racecourse on Friday.

Always near the front through an undulating course over 3 5/16 miles, Al Boum Photo, the 10-3 favorite, reached the leaders in the final mile and ran with them until the final fence. Al Boum Photo and 10-1 Lostintranslation jumped the last fence side by side and were joined by 5-1 Santini for the uphill run through the final furlong.

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A resilient Al Boum Photo held off a late threat from Santini to win by a neck. The victory gave trainer Willie Mullins a sweep of the first four races on the seven-race program.

“I was happy throughout and Paul was brave on him at the last,” Mullins said. “Paul’s plan came together. Paul does his own thing and he probably rides better under a little bit of pressure.”

Lostintranslation finished third, followed by Monalee in the field of 12.

Al Boum Photo, an 8-year-old French-bred gelding, won the 2019 Gold Cup as a 12-1 outsider. He was favored this year on the basis of that result and a win in the Grade 3 New Year’s Day Chase at 2 5/8 miles at Tramore, Ireland, on Jan. 1 in his only start since May.

“We just decided not to break the winning formula and just take in the same preparation as he did last year,” Mullins said. “Don’t break a winning formula when it works and it’s paid off, thankfully.”

The $772,250 Cheltenham Gold Cup is British jump racing’s leading weight-for-age race. Al Boum Photo is the first horse to win consecutive runnings of the Cheltenham Gold Cup since Best Mate won three times from 2002-04.

Al Boum Photo, owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly, has won 8 of 16 starts in his career, which began in France in the autumn of 2015. Joe Donnelly is a former bookmaker in Ireland.