Jigsaw completed for Willie Mullins in Cheltenham Gold Cup
Irish jockey Paul Townend rides Al Boum Photo (third left) to win the Gold Cup race, behind jockey Richard Johnson on Native River (second right) and jockey Nico De Boinville on Might Bite (right) during he first lap on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival horse racing meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, south-west England, on March 15, 2019. PHOTO | GLYN KIRK | AFP
What you need to know:
- The seven-year-old gelding found freedom at the second last fence, galloping on relentless lyto defeat Anibale Fly and Bristol de Mai.
- The Charlie Appleby-trained son of Ifraaj, who is 8-1 market leader with sponsors, won three of his four starts over a mile last year.
The missing piece in Willie Mullins' jigsaw of amazement, has been slotted in, courtesy of a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.
Mullins has been a leading force for three decades, with champion hurdlers such as Hurricane Fly and Faugheen, winning the Grand National thanks to Hedgehunter and saddling more Cheltenham Festival strikers, than anyone else.
But when it came to the event, this canny Irish champion was six times runner-up on the biggest stage.
He finally managed to pop his head in front with Al Boum (Paul Townsend 12-1).
The seven-year-old gelding found freedom at the second last fence, galloping on relentlessly to defeat Anibale Fly and Bristol de Mai. Sadly, Willie Mulllins also lost a horse called Invitation Only, instantly, at the tenth fence.
MAGNETISM
As the son of trainer Paddy Mullins, who drove Dawn Run to an unprecedented Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double in the 1980s, big races at Cheltenham, were always going to have a special magnetism for Mullins.
Irish jockey Paul Townend (left) and trainer Willie Mullins pose with the trophy after Townend rode Al Boum Photo to win the Gold Cup race on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival horse racing meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, south-west England, on March 15, 2019. PHOTO | GLYN KIRK | AFP
He had cracked the two-mile Champion Hurdle division, and knew how to win mid-season's, King George VI Chase, over the flat three miles at Kempton. Another quarter mile on an undulating Gloucestershire track, had proved a step too far.
He was producing winning machines in other championship contests - Faugheen, Vautour and Douvan among them - but feared his set-up might just suit speedier types than those best suited to the stamina-sapping trip of the Gold Cup.
To rub salt on wounds, he was even finishing second in major Flat races - denied by the Queen when her horse Estimate beat Simenon to take the Gold Cup at Ascot. Remember Max Dynamite was second in the Melbourne Cup, when Michelle Payne trumpeted on Prince Of Penzance.
BLOW
A really bitter blow for Mullins was when he lost 60 horses to rival Gordon Elliott, after Michael O'Leary switched the allegiances of his Gigginstown House Stud, in a fee's dispute.
He regrouped, rebuilt, and now has more horses than he had before that row. Imagine, how he felt in the Gold Cup, when three of his four contenders fell on the first circuit. Al Boum sure did save the day for Mullins, but sadly, Sir Eric had to be uthanised after the opening race.
Irish jockey Paul Townend poses with the trophy after riding Al Boum Photo to win the Gold Cup race on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival horse racing meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, south-west England, on March 15, 2019. PHOTO | GLYN KIRK | AFP
He stumbled, snapped his leg, and, collapsed. Greatest jump jockey of recent times, Anthony McCoy, was broken beyond words. Horses become biggest friends and relatives of owners.
SPONSORS
JCB Triumph Hurdle - Pentland Hills, Coeur Sublime, Gardens of Babylon Foxhunter Steeple Chase - Hazel Hill, Shantou Flyer, Top Wood Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Steeple Chase - Early Doors, Dallas des Pictons, Defi Bleu Adam Kirby has been given the plum ride on Godolphin's, Auxerre, in the Unibet Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster this Saturday.
Al Boum Photo owner Mrs Donnelly (left) applauds as Britain's Princess Anne, Princess Royal (second left) presents trainer Willie Mullins with a trophy after Irish jockey Paul Townend rode Al Boum Photo to win the Gold Cup race on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival horse racing meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, south-west England, on March 15, 2019. PHOTO | GLYN KIRK | AFP
The Charlie Appleby-trained son of Ifraaj, who is 8-1 market leader with sponsors, won three of his four starts over a mile last year.
Both trainer and jockey have won the Doncaster cavalry charge before, with Ocean Tempest, and, Secret Brief.
Auxerre, who has run only on good to firm ground or Polytrack, could land the flat's racing's cameo beginning.
