Cheltenham Gold Cup 2019

Friday, March 15, 2019 proved to be a red-letter day for the most successful trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival, Willie Mullins. Prior to that day, the Closutton maestro had been trying to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup for 20 years but, despite saddling the runner-up on no fewer than six occasions, had never managed to do so. That all changed when Al Boum Photo, the stable third-string, according to the bookmakers, led turning in and stayed on strongly from the final fence to beat Anibale Fly by 2½ lengths and give Mullins his first ever winner of the showpiece event.

Mullins actually saddled four runners, but only Al Boum Photo made it to the finish. Kemboy, ridden by Mullins’ nephew, David, unseated rider at the first fence, Bellshill, ridden by Ruby Walsh, was pulled up early on the second circuit after a series of mistakes and Invitation Only, ridden by Mullins’ son, Patrick, fell fatally at the tenth fence. The latter incident took the shine off a historic victory for Mullins, but he remained philosophical, saying, “I had probably resigned myself to never winning a Gold Cup, so I said I won’t obsess about it or get too disappointed by it.”

The defending champion, Native River, was never really travelling and finished fourth without threatening the leaders, while the favourite Presenting Percy, who finished lame, trailed in eighth of the nine finishers after his saddle slipped. Anibale Fly, who had finished third in 2018, was placed for the second year running and Bristol De Mai, who had finished seventh, improved four places into third. Reflecting on his first victory in the race, winning jockey Paul Townend said, “I got in a beautiful rhythm. When you’re going well, it just seems so simple.”