My fellas can turn Boum to real bust
HENRY DE BROMHEAD reckons Gold Cup hopefuls A Plus Tard and Minella Indo can destroy Al Boum Photo’s hat-trick bid.
The Waterford handler sends two live chances to Friday’s Blue Riband event.
Willie Mullins’ back-toback winner sets a high standard as 3/1 market leader but countryman De Bromhead has high hopes for his pair.
A Plus Tard, a 7/1 chance, has a Festival win and place in the bag, while 16/1-rated Minello Indo was just touched off by Champ in last year’s RSA.
De Bromhead said: “I’m probably biased but the Savills Chase looked to be one of the strongest Gold Cup trials, if not the strongest, all season.
“A Plus Tard seemed to do it very well and the form got franked by Kemboy in the Irish Gold Cup.
“We have purposefully kept this fella fresh for the Gold Cup and we are very happy with him.
“I know A Plus Tard is shorter than Minella Indo in the betting but we also know Minella Indo comes alive around Cheltenham.
“The main objective was getting a clear round at Leopardstown the last day after falling in the Savills Chase and I was very happy with him bar the second-last.
“Kemboy got an easy lead and Minella Indo ran pretty well in the circumstances given it was effectively his first race in open company.
“I think we will see a different horse in the Gold Cup and I’m very happy with him.
“If you look at his beginners chase before Cheltenham last year, he wasn’t that impressive but he has a habit of raising his game for the Festival.”