Al Boum Photo and Paul Townend© Photo Healy Racing
Al Boum Photo recorded a fourth successive win in the Savills New Year’s Day Chase at Tramore to leave the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner on course for another crack at jump racing’s blue riband in March.
The field was reduced to just four runners, all trained by Willie Mullins, after Annamix and the Gordon Elliott-trained Hardline were both scratched due to a change in the going (officially soft to heavy). Acapella Bourgeois set the pace for just over a circuit until headed by Al Boum Photo and the former quickly dropped away and was pulled up after the tenth.
The 1/6 favourite jumped well apart from one mistake at the sixth last, and quickened away after the penultimate fence to beat Burrows Saint by a comfortable four lengths. Brahma Bull was a further three lengths away in third.
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 (how he is).
“Burrow Saint ran a cracker and I thought he was going to be a danger but when Paul pressed the button it was all over. Brahma Bull ran well for a horse that would probably hate that ground.
“Acapella Bourgeois was disappointing so we’ll have to see what we do with him.”
Al Boum Photo remains unchanged at 14/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Paddy Power and Betfair.
