Staged on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival, on Friday, March 13, 2020, the Cheltenham Gold Cup was, effectively, the last major race run before the paying public. Nearly 69,000 spectators watched Al Boum Photo become the first horse since Best Mate, in 2004, to record back-to-back victories in the ‘Blue Riband’ event; four days later, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced nationwide ‘lockdown’ measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Whether or not the Cheltenham Festival should have taken place, at all, remains a matter for conjecture, but those in attendance were, at least, treated to a thrilling finish, with the first four home covered by less than two lengths. Favourite Al Boum Photo was spring-heeled at the notoriously tricky fourth-last fence and again at the third-last, but was narrowly headed by the strong-travelling Lostintranslation between the final two fences. He regained the advantage, albeit only marginally, at the final fence and stayed on to beat joint-second favourite Santini, all out, by an ever-decreasing neck. Lostintranslation finished a highly creditable third, 1¼ lengths back, with Monalee a further neck behind in fourth place.
Interestingly, four of the other six horses to record back-to-back victories in the Cheltenham Gold Cup – namely Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and, of course, Best Mate – went on to record a third. At the time of writing, Al Boum Photo is, once again, shading favouritism for the 2021 renewal, just ahead of his old rival Santini; still only an 8-year-old, he must have every chance of emulating his illustrious predecessors.
