Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
FOURMIDABLE
Perfect Photo makes it a quartet of wins
AL BOUM PHOTO is as short as 8-1 to reclaim the Cheltenham Gold Cup he surrendered last March after a winning return to action at Tramore yesterday.
The Willie Mullins-trained 10-year-old used the Savills New Year’s Day Chase as a springboard to Festival glory in 2019 and 2020 – and racked up the hat-trick prior to his third to Minella Indo in this year’s blue riband.
Both Minella Indo and Gold Cup runner-up A Plus Tard suffered defeats during the Christmas holiday racing programme but Paul Townend’s mount justified odds of 1-6 against three stablemates with a four-length call from Burrows Saint.
“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 winning jockey.
“He has no miles on the clock and his appetite for racing is as good as ever.”
Mullins is likely to give Al Boum Photo another race before his bid for a third Gold Cup triumph on March 18 and Townend added: “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.”
Al Boum Photo was bidding for his fourth successive victory in this race and trainer Mullins said: “He fluffed one fence but did everything else right. Paul said he was just a bit idle in front.
“I’d like to get another run into him but we’ll have to see. I thought Burrows Saint was going to be a danger but when Paul pressed the button it was all over.” Mullins and Townend (inset) were completing a double after the victory of El Fabiolo in the opening David Flynn Construction Maiden Hurdle.
Sent off the 2-7 favourite, El Fabiolo came home 13 lengths clear on what was his debut for Mullins and first run in Ireland having previously been trained in France.
Mullins said: “He’s a nice recruit for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. He shows me plenty at home and Paul said he was going easy at all stages.
“He does everything easy at home and showed me the same here.”
When asked how he would compare with previous maiden hurdle winners for the yard at this track like Laurina and Saint Roi, he added: “He’s as good as any of them.”
At Fairyhouse the featured Grade 3 mares chase went to the Gordon Elliott-trained Mount Ida.
The Cheltenham winner took over in front at the second last for Davy Russell and fought on well to reach the line half a length ahead of Elimay.
The Grand National at Aintree and the mares chase at Cheltenham are two likely targets for the winner.