PHOTO WELL IN THE FRAME AT TRAMORE
Al Boum leads Mullins’ treble bid
WILLIE MULLINS launches a three-pronged assault on the Savills Chase at Tramore today. The champion trainer has claimed this Listed prize four times in the last six years — most recently striking gold with Bachasson 12 months ago — and appears intent on adding to his tally.
Ruby Walsh partners Al Boum Photo, who struck Grade One glory in the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday before dramatically exiting another top-level contest at the Punchestown Festival.
With Paul Townend heading to Fairyhouse, David Mullins takes the ride on Ladbrokes Trophy winner Total Recall, who fell in the Cheltenham Gold Cup before pulling up in the Grand National and the Punchestown Gold Cup in the spring.
Mullins’ third runner is Invitation Only, the mount of Brian Hayes.
Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father, said: ‘It looks a strong race — more like a Grade Two than a Listed race — but I suppose the ground is soft in Tramore, which suits these staying chasers.
‘We run the three of them, as we’re getting into 2019 and we need to get these horses out.
‘Al Boum Photo would probably be the pick of them on last season’s form. He’s a Grade One winner and we hope he could be a Gold Cup horse.
‘The worry would be our horses that ran over Christmas that hadn’t had a run this season looked like they needed it. Our three Grade One winners in Leopardstown — Aramon, Kemboy and Sharjah — had all had a run.
‘We want to see Total Recall jumping well as his jumping let him down at the end of last season. A good, clear round would be good for him.
‘Invitation Only needs to improve.’
Alpha Des Obeaux leads a threestrong Gigginstown House Studowned contingent into battle.
Gordon Elliott’s inmate was runner-up to Kemboy in the Clonmel Oil Chase on his penultimate start before going one better in a Listed event at Thurles just a week later, beating fellow Gigginstown runner Valseur Lido.
Henry de Bromhead’s Valseur Lido is in the mix once more, along with stablemate Sub Lieutenant.
Liz Doyle’s Last Goodbye and David O’Brien’s Freeway Space complete the field.
Meanwhile, Bachasson came from last to first when making a successful return to action in the Tote Pays Dividends Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday afternoon.
Carrying the colours of the O’Connell family made famous by the popular Un De Sceaux, Bachasson developed into a high-class performer in his own right last season, landing successive Listed prizes over fences at Thurles and the aforementioned Tramore to earn himself a shot at Cheltenham Gold Cup glory.
However, the Willie Mullinstrained grey only made it as far as the second fence in the blue riband at Prestbury Park and he reverted to the smaller obstacles on his first start since under Walsh.
Walsh settled his mount at the rear of the five-runner field for much of the two-and-a-half-mile journey and he and the rest looked in trouble when De Plotting Shed slipped clear
before the home turn. However, not for the first time, De Plotting Shed wilted under pressure in the straight and 9/4 chance Bachasson charged home to score by two and a quarter lengths from Darasso.
Bachasson was one of three runners for the champion trainer, with 13-8 favourite Scarpeta finishing third and Killultagh Vic — winner of this race a year ago — trailing home a long last.
‘It was a nice surprise to finish the year off,’ said Mullins.
‘It’s great to have him (Bachasson) back because he had a nasty injury after the Gold Cup.
‘This was a nice race to bring him back. I didn’t dream that he was straight enough to win, but he did it well. I might keep him hurdling for the foreseeable future and the same with Killultagh Vic, if I can find races for them.
‘Scarpeta will obviously be the same. He probably just wanted a longer trip and his jumping let him down again. Killultagh Vic will probably get an entry for the Irish Gold Cup, but I’m thinking more about the horse and keeping him sound. He’ll have to get an entry, but we’ll see.
‘I’m trying to keep both of them hurdling. I’d like to keep Bachasson hurdling anyway, I might have to change my plans with Killultagh Vic.
‘I’m thinking about keeping them sound, but we’ll have to see. I hadn’t been thinking about the Irish Gold Cup, but it’s a race we’ll have to consider.’
Joseph O’Brien, JP McManus and Mark Walsh combined for a double on the card with Shady Operator (7/4 favourite) in the opening beginners’ chase and Gardens Of Babylon (7/1) in the three-year-old maiden hurdle.
Tens Or Better rounded off the 2018 Irish racing year and the At The Races era when landing the mares’ bumper.
The Pat Fahy inmate was well backed on track, from 8/1 down to 100/30, when winning a bumper on her seventh attempt, dropping back from the Listed company she kept in Navan last time out.