Al Boum Photo


Al Boum Photo is a French-bred, Irish-trained racehorse that won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2019 and 2020.

Background

Al Boum Photo is a dark bay gelding with a small white star bred in France by Emmanuel Clayeux & Jacky Rauch. He initially raced in the colours of Clayeux, who also trained him.

Racing career

On his racecourse debut Al Boum Photo fell in a hurdle race at Moulins Racecourse on 14 September 2015. In the following year he was sent to race in Ireland where he was trained by Willie Mullins and carried the colours of Mrs J Donnelly.
In the 2016/2017 National Hunt season he finished third on his first appearance for his new connections. He then won a minor race at Thurles Racecourse before winning the Festival Hurdle at Fairyhouse and finishing fifth in the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.
In the following year Al Boum Photo won a minor steeplechase at Navan Racecourse, finished second to Monalee in the Dr P. J. Moriarty Novice Chase and won the Ryanair Gold Cup but failed to complete in his other three races.
Al Boum Photo made only three appearances in the 2018/2019 season. He won the Savills Chase at Tramore Racecourse on 1 January and the 2019 Cheltenham Gold Cup at Cheltenham Racecourse on 15 March before finishing second to Kemboy in the Punchestown Gold Cup.
On 13 March 2020, Al Boum Photo won the Cheltenham Gold Cup for the second year in a row.

Pedigree