TRAINER HENRY DE Bromhead completed a clean sweep at Cheltenham after Minella Indo landed the 2021 Gold Cup on the final day of the festival.
Dingle native Jack Kennedy guided Minella Indo (9-1) home as De Bromhead added the Gold Cup to cap off a brilliant week that has already seen him land the Champion Hurdle and the Champion Chase this week — making it six winners, in all.
Rachael Blackmore, who had previously been on Minella Indo, pushed Minella Indo but had to settle for second place on A Plus Tard.
Al Boum Photo was bidding to become the fifth horse to win a third Gold Cup and the first since Best Mate in 2004 to complete three-in-a-row, but Paul Townend’s mount finished third.
🏆Cheltenham Gold Cup
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 19, 2021
🏆Champion Hurdle
🏆Champion Chase
Henry de Bromhead, take a bow! 👏 pic.twitter.com/QQurNaw8nq
Frodon and Bryony Frost made the extended three-and-a-quarter-mile showpiece a true test. With Kemboy and Black Op for company, the Paul Nicholls-trained Frodon put in serious leaps through the early stage, but Nicky Henderson’s hopes were dashed early on with Champ and Santini pulled up.
Willie Mullins’ Al Boum Photo was ridden patiently, while A Plus Tard always had the leaders in his sights.
Blackmore closed the door on 9-4 favourite Al Boum Photo as the field galloped down towards the home turn, and it became a fight between the two De Bromhead runners.
But Minella Indo held the upper hand and repelled the determined challenge of the runner-up to win by a length and a quarter.
Al Boum Photo was four and a quarter lengths away in third. Native River, the winner in 2018, was fourth and Frodon fifth.
Thrilled for @jackkennedy15 .
— colm cooper (@colmcooper13) March 19, 2021
He has had some horrendous injuries and showed some resilience to come back to land the the Gold Cup . A supremely talented jockey 🐎 #GoldCup #MinellaIndo #ciarraiabu
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