Dual Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo given Thurles entry but needs rain to run

Willie Mullins has entered Al Boum Photo at Thurles next Thursday but the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero needs rain if he is to return, according to the champion trainer.

Mullins had spoken of his intention to get more runs into Al Boum Photo this season, stressing he would not wait until his customary reappearance at Tramore on New Year's Day, so the Listed BetVictor Chase has been pencilled into his diary.

The ground on the chase course is currently good at Thurles, however, and if it remains that way Mullins will not risk Al Boum Photo in the race he has won in the past with Footpad (2019), Champagne Fever (2016) and Sir Des Champs (2015) among others.

Mullins said: "The race at Thurles has been on my mind for quite a while for Al Boum Photo. We want to get more runs into him this season, but I wouldn't be tempted to run him on that ground. We have given him an entry but it will need to rain if he's to run.

"We've also entered Cilaos Emery, Elimay, Melon and Tornado Flyer in that race at Thurles and all of them could show up."

Kilcruit: Punchestown run hinges on the groundCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Mullins faces a similar situation with his Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Kilcruit, who has been given an entry at Punchestown on Tuesday.

The Champion Bumper runner-up, who reversed festival form with Sir Gerhard at Punchestown, is no bigger than 4-1 to win the Cheltenham Festival opener next March and could make his jumping debut in the 2m maiden hurdle at Punchestown on Tuesday, but only if the ground softens.

Mullins said: "We've given Kilcruit an entry at Punchestown, and he's 100 per cent, but I wouldn't want his first run of the season to be on ground the way it is at the moment. I don't think there is much rain forecast either so I'd say it's very doubtful he will show up there."

When asked whether the current ground situation after an unusually dry November is frustrating, he replied: "We've been waiting for the rain to come for quite a while now but it just hasn't arrived.

"We got torrential rain here one Friday three weeks ago and I said to myself 'Here we go, the winter has arrived' but it proved to be a false alarm and we've had basically nothing since.

"I'm well used to it, to be honest. I remember when we put in our long gallop about 12 or 14 years ago – it was bone dry up until December. That can happen. You never really know what you're going to get and you have to deal with the hand you're dealt. We're sitting and waiting for rain to arrive and we'll keep waiting until it does."

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