Only superstars need apply - can Al Boum Photo achieve rare Gold Cup repeat?

3.30 Cheltenham
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) | 3m2½f | 5yo+ | ITV/RTV

Only the greats have done it. Best Mate, L’Escargot, Arkle, Cottage Rake, Golden Miller and Easter Hero. Some say Kauto Star was the best of them all and he could not even do it. He regained his crown, but he never retained it. Al Boum Photo has the opportunity to join the most golden list of all.

The only thing that seems to be against him are statistics. It is 17 years since Best Mate won his second Gold Cup and plenty have tried and failed to defend their crowns since.

Paul Townend: rode his first Gold Cup winner on Al Boum Photo last yearCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Native River failed last year despite a gallant attempt and others like Long Run have also come a cropper. It will take a mammoth effort from Al Boum Photo to repeat his fantastic feat of 12 months ago.

The good news is that Al Boum Photo comes into the race in identical fashion to last year. His sole appearance this season has been at Tramore on New Year’s Day – that was the same story last season. He seems best when fresh and Willie Mullins has adopted the approach of ‘if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it’. It seems a shrewd move.

Al Boum Photo has provided Paul Townend with both his best, and worst, moment in the saddle. The memory of his bizarre swerve around the final fence for no apparent reason at Punchestown in 2018 is now hazy after his heroics in last year’s Gold Cup and he would not swap him for anything else in the race.

Townend said: “I'm really looking forward to getting back on board Al Boum Photo. He seems in great form and I wouldn’t swap him for anything else in the race. He is the defending champion, he's been here and done it and it's just really exciting to get back on him. He took the same route as last year to the Gold Cup so hopefully he can be lucky for us again.”

Ireland’s champion jockey certainly seems to get the best out of the eight-year-old. He has been on board for four of his seven career wins and only the stats suggest that cannot increase to five here.

Are the new kids on the block better than their elders?

Al Boum Photo sets the standard, but there is a strong suspicion this is a hotter Gold Cup than 12 months ago and the new kids on the block warrant serious respect. These are a cracking crop of second-season chasers and they are going places fast.

Al Boum Photo: defeated Anibale Fly by two and a half lengths to win last season's Gold CupCredit: Patrick McCann

First of all there is Santini. Last year’s RSA runner-up is two from two this season and enhanced his reputation as a staying chaser of serious potential by overpowering the 170-rated Bristol De Mai in the Cotswold Chase at this venue in January. Nicky Henderson has never been happier with his progressive eight-year-old and expects a big run.

He said: "His preparation last year was chaotic whereas it's gone very much to plan this time. I was delighted with his win in the Cotswold Chase and he has some good form around Cheltenham.

"He's also got a few slogs under his belt which can do him no harm. He acts on soft ground but is better on better ground and we're putting cheekpieces on for the first time just to keep him sharp. He certainly stays and has earned his ticket for the race."

How about Delta Work? He was just behind Santini when third to Topofthegame in last year’s RSA and his season has gone spectacularly well following a lacklustre return to action at Down Royal. He has won the Savills Chase and the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown and the consensus seems to be that the more racing he gets, the better he is.

Delta Work (front): winner of two Grade 1 chases this seasonCredit: Alain Barr

Gordon Elliott, trying to win his second Gold Cup after landing the main event with Don Cossack in 2016, said: "If you forget his display at Down Royal, he's had a fine season. He's beaten most of the Irish contenders already, apart from Al Boum Photo obviously.

"The extra couple of furlongs in the Gold Cup will be right up his street so we're going into the race full of hope. He acts very well around here and he would look to have a very solid chance."

Lostintranslation may have lost some of his fans when pulled-up in the King George at Kempton, but he beat Bristol De Mai at his happiest hunting ground in Haydock prior to that, and he has winning course form from last season when he got the better of Defi Du Seuil in the Dipper. There is plenty to like about him and Colin Tizzard has been very pleased with his preparation.

Tizzard said: "Lostintranslation was making a noise in the King George so we cauterised his palate. We're putting a tongue-tie on too because you can't do one without the other in my opinion. I think he'd be better off on better ground but he's a big strong horse and would be very well equipped to carry 11st 10lb over three and a quarter miles.

Lostintranslation: impressive winner of the Betfair Chase at HaydockCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"The lack of a recent run does not bother me at all. He's had a racecourse gallop and I'm not sure having a run on heavy ground a few weeks before is beneficial."

Tizzard is also represented by thorough stayer, Elegant Escape, who will be the outsider of the party.

"Elegant Escape was very disappointing last time at Haydock," he added. "He hit a few fences and cried enough. I don't know why but his recent schooling has been far better than it has for years and he looks so well in himself at the moment. I'd like him to finish in the first half dozen and then go on to the National."

What the rest of the connections say

Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Bristol De Mai
He was giving weight away to Santini last time and not beaten far. Santini is among the favourites and I think we should also be but we're not. He was third last year and if we can do that again or maybe a bit better then great. He's been consistent all season and it's been easier than ever – there's been no hiccups at all.

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Chris's Deam and Monalee
Chris's Dream has really come into his own this season. He couldn't have been more impressive when winning the Troytown at Navan in November and we were delighted with the way he won the Red Mills Chase over a trip short of his best. He's been in really good form since. Monalee almost beat Delta Work in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown. I have always thought he was a stayer and I do think he'll stay. We purposely kept him fresh for this and he's in great nick. We're hoping for the best.

Clan Des Obeaux: 21-length winner of the King George on his last startCredit: Edward Whitaker

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Clan Des Obeaux
He’s had a great preparation, just like Politologue really. I'm very happy with him and he looks great. He’s not missed a beat and we couldn’t have had a better preparation for this race with him. If you look at Politologue in the Champion Chase and what he did really, really fresh compared to previously and that’s the route we’ve taken with Clan. He’s won two King Georges and King George winners do win Gold Cups. We’re going to do things differently with him in the race and he’s in a better place than last year and is a better horse that last year. Until he’s gone and won up that hill they’ll all say he doesn’t act at Cheltenham, but he’s run some very good races here. It's hard to win Gold Cup and it all has to go right, but we’ve got him in a really good place.

Patrick Mullins, rider of Kemboy
I think the ground needs to dry out for Kemboy to be at his best. He improved from his first run to second and I think he'll improve again which puts him right there in the picture.

Philip Reynolds, owner of Presenting Percy
One of his strengths is getting into a rhythm and I think he'll enjoy the way the race is run. We're coming into the race under the radar this year and that's always a nice way to be. He's in the form of his life. I asked Pat [Kelly, trainer] one straight question the other day – is he in the same sort of form as he was coming into the race last year? He said better. It's all systems go and we can't wait.

Spotlight verdict

It's a smaller field than has often been the case in recent years but still an up-to-scratch and absorbing edition of the season's most prestigious chase. Ready preference is for Al Boum Photo, who sets the standard on the form of his win in this race last year and has had an identical preparation this time round, again winning his prep race easily in the same Tramore contest on New Year's Day. The decision to spare him the rigours of a busy campaign so that he is fresh for today can pay dividends again. There is more to come from the up-and-coming Santini and he is next best, ahead of the selection's stablemate (and old rival) Kemboy. Delta Work and Lostintranslation complete the shortlist.
Mel Cullinan

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