Work gets ‘tough’ for Gold Cup hat-trick seeker Al Boum Photo

Gold Cup hat-trick seeker Al Boum Photo is to have his fitness levels tested this week with a "really tough" workout.

Before several of Willie Mullins ' Cheltenham favourites head to this weekend's Dublin Racing Festival, including Chacun Pour Soi and Appreciate It, the nine-year-old will be put through his paces away from home.

Al Boum Photo is just weeks away from his bid to join equine legends like Arkle, Best Mate and Cottage Rake, going for a third triumph in the March 19 feature.

"He's in great shape," Mullins said.

"He will do a major bit of work this week because he's not running at the Dublin Racing Festival and I need to get a really tough bit of work into him.

"I’ll take him away and try and work on grass. I was hoping to get to Naas yesterday but with Covid protocols you're not allowed gallopers at a race track so we're caught that way.

"But I have something organised and hopefully it'll work out tomorrow.”

Mullins has Kemboy and Melon, second and third in the Savills Chase on January 28, entered in Saturday's Leopardstown trial for the Magners-sponsored contest.

Henry De Bromhead's pair Minella Indo and A Plus Tard could be among their rivals in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.

Al Boum Photo completed his usual preparation on the track at Tramore on New Year's Day – and Mullins is not thinking about the likely opposition at this stage.

"My focus is just to get him there and after that I don't care, it's just going to be…I need to get him there, that's my whole focus and I'm not trying to get sidetracked into any other worries about him," he added.

"If he gets there then I'm hoping for the best.”

Source: Read Full Article