Al Boum Photo landed back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cups before finishing third behind Minella Indo and A Plus Tard last season; he was set to return at Aintree but Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins will instead send him to Tramore on New Year's Day
Thursday 2 December 2021 13:04, UK
Dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo will return to his usual stomping ground of Tramore for his seasonal reappearance after trainer Willie Mullins opted against running him in Saturday’s Many Clouds Chase at Aintree.
The Irish champion trainer took a familiar route in the last three seasons with the nine-year-old, taking in the Grade Three Savills New Year Chase at Tramore on New Year's Day before heading to the Cheltenham Gold Cup, a race he won in 2019 and 2020.
But Mullins felt that the horse may have been slightly undercooked when bidding for a remarkable third Gold Cup, finishing third behind Minella Indo and A Plus Tard.
And after missing this weekend's Grade Two Many Clouds Chase at Aintree - featuring Native River, Imperial Aura and Protektorat - Mullins has instead mooted a return to the seaside track, with potentially one more run before returning to Cheltenham.
"He's in great form. I could've declared him for Punchestown but we had a lot of runners there," Mullins said.
"He's ready to run but I just thought that heading over to run at Aintree over three miles and one furlong against race-fit horses might just be too much for him.
"He'll have a racecourse gallop probably on Sunday and then probably to Tramore and we might get another run into him between then and Cheltenham but I'm very happy with him."
One horse that will head to Aintree this weekend is Elimay, who runs in the rearranged Listed Unibet Houghton Mares' Chase, with racing being abandoned at Carlisle last Sunday due to the inclement weather.
And although Mullins did have reservations over sending the seven-year-old mare - who finished second in the Mares' Chase at Cheltenham behind Colreevy - across the Irish Sea twice in one week, he said she would be the one to beat based on all known form.
"Travelling over and back twice in a week is not ideal and they had all four seasons with huge weather on the way back from Carlisle but they got back safe and sound," he added.
"Travelling twice to England before the first run is not ideal. She's in good form and on her form I think she'll take a bit of beating."
Mullins' stable jockey Paul Townend - who rode Al Boum Photo to his two Gold Cup victories - is also expected to return from injury next week, having dislocated his shoulder in a fall at Listowel in September.
"He's been riding work but I just felt we might wait another week. Maybe we'll start off in a mid-week meeting or something like that.
"He's back riding but I just felt and he just felt that if he's going to come back, he wants to come back right."
