Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase |
|
| Grade 1, Fairyhouse 16:30 €100,000 added, 5yo plus, 2m 4f, Class 1  |
|
| Sunday 1st April 2018 | |
1 Al Boum Photo 11/2
2
Shattered Love 13/8F
3
Invitation Only 5/1
9 ran Distances: 1l, 7l, 8l
Time: 5m 35.90s (slow by 44.90s)
Al Boum Photo wins under a good ride from David Mullins
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Al Boum Photo snatched a ding-dong Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase at Fairyhouse from Shattered Love.
The race garnered plenty of comment as only two trainers supplied all nine runners in the Grade One affair with Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott dominating, and it was current champion Mullins who came out on top.
Elliott carried a €500,000 advantage in the race to be champion trainer heading into the weekend but Mullins, who clung on to his crown with a late surge last year, claimed both Grade Ones on a top-class afternoon, having already struck with Laurina.
Shattered Love, who beat the boys in the JLT Novices' Chase at Cheltenham, was surrounded by three Mullins runners as they fanned into the straight, yet she was still travelling best of all for Jack Kennedy.
Hitting the front she appeared to have everything under control, with her 7lb mares' allowance set to look crucial.
However, 11-2 chance Al Boum Photo, a faller in the RSA Chase when Ruby Walsh aggravated a leg injury, really got going under David Mullins and in the end won going away by a length from the 13-8 favourite.
Invitation Only was seven lengths back in third.
Mullins said: "He deserved that, as he was unlucky at Christmas. David gave him a great ride and kept a little bit up his sleeve. It's nice to get a good winner for Mrs Donnelly.
"I think he wants a longer trip and that's why he was staying on at the end. I think the first four will all be three-mile chasers down the line."
When asked if he would be finished for the season, Mullins replied, "No. There will be very few finished for the year around our place. They will be heading to Punchestown, and I'd imagine it will be the same with a stable up the road (Elliott)!
"The mare (Shattered Love) was fantastic in defeat. She was up there battling it out with Up For Review, and then with Invitation Only. She then got done by the third one of ours."
Ryanair Gold Cup
Grade 1 €100,000 added,
5yo plus, 2m 4f, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Soft to Heavy, Heavy in places
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Al Boum Photo (FR) 11/2 | D J Mullins 11-10 |
W P Mullins | 6 | |
| 2nd | 1 | Shattered Love (IRE) 13/8f | J W Kennedy 11-3 |
G Elliott | 7 |
| 3rd | 7 | Invitation Only (IRE) 5/1 | P Townend 11-10 |
W P Mullins | 7 |
| 4th | 8 | Up For Review (IRE) 8/1 | D E Mullins 11-10 |
W P Mullins | 9 |
| 5th | 1¾ | The Storyteller (IRE) 5/1 | D N Russell 11-10 |
G Elliott | 7 |
| 6th | 4¼ | Tombstone (IRE) 25/1 | Rachael Blackmore 11-10 |
G Elliott | 8 |
| 7th | 11 | Montalbano 33/1 | R M Power 11-10 |
W P Mullins | 6 |
| 8th | ½ | Saturnas (FR) 14/1 | M P Walsh 11-10 |
W P Mullins | 7 |
| 9th | 23 | Tycoon Prince (IRE) 50/1 | S W Flanagan 11-10 |
G Elliott | 8 |
