Cheltenham Gold Cup result: Al Boum Photo secures back-to-back wins

Al Boum Photo became the first horse to win back-to-back Gold Cups at Cheltenham since the great Best Mate 16 years ago as Willie Mullins put a slow start to the Festival behind him to deliver a dominant four wins on the final day.

There may well be questions further down the line over how the Cheltenham Festival was allowed to go ahead this week as nearly all sporting events around it were postponed or cancelled, but there could be no doubting the dominant modern-day chaser as Al Boum Photo and Paul Townend reunited to take the biggest win of the week - even if it required a photo finish.

The eight-year-old gelding allowed its rivals to lead the way early on, with Santini and Lostintranslation happy to do the early running along with Monalee, but two inch-perfect jumps on the back straight propelled the defending champion to the front of the pack.

As Townend pushed Al Boum Photo on off the back of an already-triumphant afternoon, Santini, Lostintranslation and Real Steel went with him, but from the last it was a two-horse race as Santini utilised a second wind to fight back. It proved too little too late though as Al Boum Photo dug deep to hold on by a neck in front of Nico de Boinville aboard the Nicky Henderson-trained Santini, with Lostintranslation taking third ahead of Monalee and a disappointing Delta Work who laboured to fifth.

"I thought I'd never feel anything like the feeling I had here last year, (but) I think this is even better. It's all about this, it's all about this lad,” Townend said in tribute to the two-time champion.

"Unreal, it's a credit to Willie. To come here with one run (this season), the man's a genius."

He added: "I went out with a plan to get in a rhythm, but he missed a few fences, luckily he always found his feet. At the top of the hill he started to jump better - I ended up in front sooner than I wanted, but I was able to hang on and he produced at the last.

"It was completely different to last year, but most importantly it was the same result. He's a legend, he has everything - guts along with class."

The victory was also enough for Champion Jockey Townend to claim the Holland Cooper Leading Jockey Award, ensuring he lifted the Ruby Walsh Trophy while the man himself presented it to him in what was truly a passing of the torch for the two Mullins’ favourites.

Mullins said: "It's fantastic, an absolutely unbelievable day. That man there on the screen, Paul Townend - people said he was under pressure. Paul does his own thing, he probably rides better under a little bit of pressure - really really good from him.

"It's not easy to take over from someone like Ruby Walsh, but Paul's gone and stamped his authority this season in Ireland riding for our yard, so I'm really delighted for him.

"I left him alone, I asked what he was going to do. I think the horse wanted a bit more of the action as it unfolded, he didn't disappoint the horse. He let the horse do it and that's a rider riding with huge confidence.

"It worked out, so I'm really happy and delighted for Paul."

Walsh was in a similar mood, and when it was suggested that Townend had finally moved out of his shadow, the 11-time leading jockey champion quipped: “He’s not in my shadow, he’s a champion jockey in his own right.”

Al Boum Photo cross the line to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup (PA Images via Reuters)

Having been made to wait until the final race of the second day for his first victory, the Gold Cup victory sealed a magnificent fightback to pip Gordon Elliott as the leading trainer, with four wins on the day enough for him to not only hit the top of the table but also surpass Henderson as the all-time winningest trainer at Cheltenham.

The day got off to a dramatic start in the JCB Triumph Hurdle as racegoers saw Goshen crash out at the final flight with the race at his mercy - leaving Burning Victory to record an unlikely success at Cheltenham.

Ridden by Jamie Moore for his father, Gary, Goshen looked set to run out a brilliant winner when he approached the last well clear of the opposition, after surging ahead from two out. But there was a miscommunication and he appeared to just clip the top of the last, causing him to jink one way and giving Moore no chance of staying on board.

Allmankind, who had given the strong-travelling Goshen a lead and had most of the field under pressure, tried to rally, but Burning Victory, who had been ridden patiently, emerged to have her say. With Goshen gone in dramatic fashion, Townend took his opportunity and the Mullins-trained Burning Victory (12-1) stormed up the hill to score by two and three-quarter lengths. Aspire Tower was second, with Allmankind three-quarters of a length away in third place.

Burning Victory (far side) on his way to victory (PA Images via Reuters) (PA Images via Reuters Connect)

Saint Roi landed a gamble with a convincing victory in the Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle, as coming to the last, Embittered held every chance along with a fair few others, but the Barry Geraghty-ridden Saint Roi was going best of all and the 11-2 favourite pulled away to win decisively by four and a half lengths.

Mullins also saddled the runner-up, Aramon, with Elliott's Embittered a head away third and another of the Mullins' team, Buildmeupbuttercup, another head back in fourth.

It Came To Pass caused a mighty 66-1 upset in the St James's Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup at Cheltenham. It was a family affair, as the winner is trained in County Cork by Eugene O'Sullivan, who sent out Lovely Citizen to take this prized hunter chase in 1991, and was ridden by his daughter, Maxine.

Marcle Ridge made the running and soon had the runners stretched out before he came back to the field and was headed three out. Shantou Flyer went on under his owner David Maxwell, but it was not long before It Came To Pass came on the scene with a well-timed challenge. The 10-year-old put daylight between himself and his rivals and had 10 lengths to spare over 11-4 favourite Billaway at the line.

Chosen Mate win the Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (PA)

Chosen Mate was the punters' friend as he justified strong market support to lift the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase.

Elliott's seven-year-old cruised into the lead at the third-last under Davy Russell and held a clear advantage at the final fence.

He got in a bit tight to the obstacle, but it made no difference and the 7-2 favourite powered up the hill to win by a length and three-quarters from Eclair De Beaufeu.

Us And Them was three and a half lengths back in third, with Greaneteen a neck away in fourth.

Results

1:30pm - JCB Triumph Hurdle: 1 Burning Victory 12-1 2 Aspire Tower 5-1 3 Allmankind 7-2

2:10pm - Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle Race: 1 Saint Roi (B J Geraghty) 11-2 Fav 2 Aramon (P Townend) 8-1 3 Embittered (J J Slevin) 14-1 4 Buildmeupbuttercup (D E Mullins) 16-1

2:50pm - Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Race: 1 Monkfish (P Townend) 5-1 2 Latest Exhibition (B J Cooper) 9-2 3 Fury Road (D N Russell) 5-1

3:30pm - Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase: 1 Al Boum Photo 10-3 Fav 2 Santini 5-1 3 Lostintranslation

4:10pm - St James’s Place Foxhunter Steeple Chase Challenge Cup: 1 It Came To Pass (Miss Maxine O'Sullivan) 66-1 2 Billaway (Mr P W Mullins) 11-4 Fav 3 Shantou Flyer (Mr D Maxwell) 3-1