AS expected the dual Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo returned with a victory in the Grade 3 Savills New Year’s Day Chase where the best staying chaser in Ireland and England took a solid first step on a path that could lead to racing immortality in just over two month’s time.

In both 2019 and 2020 the Marie Donnelly-owned nine-year-old has used this two-and-three-quarter-miles event as a stepping stone to Gold Cup glory and he enjoyed a relatively straight forward time of things as odds of 2/9 suggested would be the case.

On his first outing since becoming the first Irish-trained horse since L’Escargot to win back to back Gold Cups, Al Boum Photo won by a much bigger margin than he has done for the last two years.

Interestingly though there was point on the final circuit where it seemed as though the Willie Mullins inmate might have to work appreciably harder than he actually did.

Last year’s runner-up Acapella Bourgeois took over in front with around a circuit to go after Djingle, who cut out quite a strong initial tempo, dropped out (reported to have mucus in his treachea).

For the last two editions of this race Al Boum Photo had taken over in front at the first fence in the final circuit but in a different race this year he remained looking on from second and there was a period after three out where he was just nudged along to close down the leader.

One-sided

The race did take on a decidedly one-sided look from two out though, as this stayer of rare quality breezed past a wilting Acapella Bourgeois and kept on strongly to hand out a 19 lengths beating to his 156-rated stablemate.

With Djingle pulling up and Brahma Bull exiting at the second, the 80/1 shot I’m A Game Changer was the only other finisher as he came home some 73 lengths behind the second.

“He jumped very well and Paul said he was just so idle on his own in the middle of the race, he didn’t even think he was in a race. He had to roust him up down the back but once he got racing he was fine. Lack of company was a bigger worry for Paul than anything else,” remarked Mullins.

“The ground is very testing but we are happy with the performance. Hopefully he comes out of this race well and we will plan for Cheltenham.

“A lot of ours are improving for their first run of the year and I’m expecting him to do the same,” added the trainer.

THE day began well for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend, courtesy of Mr Coldstone in the David Flynn Construction Maiden Hurdle.

This victory was notable in a number of instances as this David Bobbett-owned five-year-old was returning from 891 days off the track, hadn’t run since July of his two-year-old career and had never ventured beyond seven furlongs.

However, this Tamayuz gelding took well to this discipline to make a winning start for the champion trainer at odds of 8/1.

Mr Coldstone travelled and jumped well and won in leisurely fashion. He led before the last and had plenty to spare in defeating the odds-on Not Available by two and a quarter lengths. He could have a future in much better company and it is worth noting that the last two winners of this race have turned out to be Notebook and Saint Roi.

“He was very slick over his hurdles and jumped brilliantly, he never missed a beat. It’s testing ground out there and we went a good gallop and I’d say he can come on from this. His schooling had been good coming here,” remarked the rider.

The champion trainer also supplied the favourite, Gorki D’airy, in the two-mile-five-furlong maiden hurdle where the five-year-old was looking to build on his third in an AQPS in France in October 2019.

However, he came up short against Minella Escape (2/1) as that one progressed on his second to Legacy Thor at Navan last month to get off the mark at the third attempt. The Rachael Blackmore-ridden Minella Escape, who took a very nasty fall on his debut at Punchestown in September, made much of the running and from well before the second last he had the measure of the of the favourite whom he defeated by seven lengths. The victorious son of Beat Hollow carried the colours of Alan Halsall.

Brilliant

“I was a shade disappointed with Navan but we backed off him after his fall at Punchestown and maybe that cost us, and he didn’t jump as well as he can at Navan. He was brilliant at his hurdles today though and I’d hope he will be competitive as he moves up in grade,” declared de Bromhead.

A varied and successful few months continued for Itsalonglongroad in the VS Direct No Limits Marketing Rated Novice Chase where John McConnell’s charge was recording the sixth success of his career and his fourth from his last nine starts.

A winner on the flat at this track in August, the Planetary Orbit Syndicate-owned winner then won over fences at Downpatrick the following month before picking up a claimer back on the flat at Dundalk in November.

On his return to chasing, the 7/2 shot posted an assured effort from the front under Simon Torrens and two good jumps at the last couple of fences enabled him to hold off Hell On Earth by a length and three quarters.

IN what is proving to be another good season for Philip Enright, the rider moved on to the 25-winner mark for the campaign when Shakeytry shrugged aside top-weight in the 80-102 rated Core Bullion Traders Handicap Hurdle.

Edward O’Grady’s charge, who is owned by the Glebeland Farm Partnership, was all the better for a comeback at Cork last month which was his first outing since March and he maintained the consistent level of form that he has shown for the past couple of years.

The 7/2 favourite led shortly after two out and stuck to his task to defeat Coole Arcade by a length and a half. The winner could contest another race over hurdles before returning to fences.

Hopefully a portent of the coming year was in evidence in the Tramore Medical Clinic Handicap Hurdle where the topically named Lessofdnegativity (10/1) bounced back to form in a first time tongue tie to add to the maiden hurdle success he recorded at Kilbeggan in September 2019.

The in-form Darragh O’Keeffe was on board this Andrew McNamara (senior) inmate who came from last early on the final circuit to lead after two out as a result of going for a daring run up the inner. Satin Sun made the Michael Fay and Henry Lappin-owned gelding pull out all the stops in the closing stages but he did so in willing fashion to get home by half a length.

The card concluded with a 14/1 winner as Whoyakodding struck for trainer Garett Ahern and owner Marie Gubbins in the Tom Carroll Memorial Handicap Chase.

The 10-year-old, whose most recent success came at this track in August 2019, was produced by James O’Sullivan to lead before the second last fence and finish five lengths ahead of Turndownthevolume.

This race was run over the same course and distance as the race won by Al Boum Photo and the time was a full 30 second slower than that posted by the dual Gold Cup winner.