UK Horse Racing Tips

At the time of writing, Al Boum Photo, trained by Willie Mullins, is a top-priced 4/1 favourite to become the first horse since Best Mate, in 2004, to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup three years running. A beaten third when falling at the second-last fence in the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival, the Buck’s Boum gelding has been lightly raced in recent seasons. He has, nonetheless, won five of his six starts, finishing second to stable companion Kemboy in the Punchestown Gold Cup, in the wake of his first victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2019, on the other occasion.

Prior to 2019, the Cheltenham Gold Cup had not been a happy hunting ground for Willie Mullins. Between 2000 and 2016, perennial Champion National Hunt Trainer suffered the frustration of saddling the runner-up in the ‘Blue Riband’ event no fewer than six times, including four years running between 2013 and 2016. Indeed, in 2014, On His Own suffered an agonising short-head defeat, having been carried right by the eventual winner, Lord Windermere, in the closing stages. At the ensuing enquiry, the stewards acknowledged that minor interference had taken place – and suspended Davy Russell, jockey of Lord Windermere, for careless riding – but the result stood.

However, in 2019, Al Boum Photo finally broke Mullins’ lengthening hoodoo when staying on strongly to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup by 2½ lengths. In 2020, he justified favouritism, albeit narrowly, when staying on, all out, to beat Santini by a neck, with Lostintranslation a further 1¼ lengths behind in third place. Still only a nine-year-old, Al Boum Photo won what has become his traditional warm-up race for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Savills Chase at Tramore, with consummate ease on his seasonal reappearance on New Year’s Day in 2021. He remains on course for his bid to join a small, select band of horses to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup more than twice.

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