Category: Gold Cup

The 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup, run on good to soft going on March 19, featured twelve runners, including Al Boum Photo, Santini and Lostintranslation, who had filled the first three places in the 2020 renewal. Defending champion Al Boum Photo was, once again, sent off favourite as he attempted to become the first horse since Best Mate, in 2004, to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup three years running.

Willie Mullins’ nine-year-old ran well, too, travelling smoothly until ridden and outpaced two out and staying on to finish third, beaten 5½ lengths by the winner. That winner was Minella Indo, trained by Henry de Bromhead in Knockeen, Co. Waterford and ridden by Jack Kennedy, who appeared to be the stable second-string, having been neglected by stable jockey Rachael Blackmore in favour of better-fancied stablemate A Plus Tard. Nevertheless, Minella Indo led over the third last and stayed on gamely on the run-in to win by 1¼ lengths. A Plus Tard kept on well and made up a little ground from the final fence, but was always held.

A notable 1-2 in the Cheltenham Gold Cup marked the end of a memorable week for De Bromhead, who became the first trainer in history to win the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup at the same Cheltenham Festival. Of his victory, an emotional Kennedy said, “I can’t believe it. This is what I have dreamed of as a child.” Following his retirement, as a 12-year-old, in 2025, De Bromhead hailed Minella Indo as a “savage horse who came alive every year at Cheltenham”.

The 2020 Cheltenham Gold Cup was staged on March 13, just 10 days before Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the nation to announce the first nationwide lockdown to curb the widening spread of the Covid-19 virus. As such, it was the last major horse racing event before the sport shut down on March 17 and did not resume, behind closed doors, until June 1.

Twelve horses went to post for the ‘Blue Riband’ event and Presenting Percy, who was staying on in seventh place when falling at the second-last fence, was the only casualty. The race was won, for the second year running, by Al Boum Photo, trained by Willie Mullins and Paul Townend, who had won the Savills Chase at Tramore on New Year’s Day, as he had done in 2019, and was sent off 100/30 favourite at Cheltenham.

In a thrilling finish, the first four horses home were covered by just a length and three-quarters. Al Boum Photo and Santini disputed the lead from the fourth-last fence and were joined, on the turn for home, by Lostintranslation. Indeed, Lostintranslation led, narrowly, over the final fence, but soom surrendered the lead to the eventual winner, who stayed on to win all out. Switched right on the run-in, Santini stayed on well in the last half a furlong, but could never quite reach Al Boum Photo and went down by a neck in a driving finish. Lostintranslation finished an honoruable third, beaten a length and a half by the winner, and Monalee fourth, just a neck further behind.