Al Boum Photo joins illustrious list of winners

Al Boum Photo justified odds-on support on his debut over fences in an incident-packed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at Navan.

Willie Mullins has won this 2m1f event with such stars as Douvan, Vautour and Min in recent years, and Al Boum Photo was sent off the 4/5 favourite to maintain his stranglehold.

One of his chief dangers Le Martalin made a mess of the first and unseated Sean Flanagan, and the loose horse hampered a number of horses including Tycoon Prince when running sharply left across the second fence.

Tycoon Prince travelled well to dispute the lead with Al Boum Photo at the second last, with the pair separated by the width of the track as Paul Townend preferred to stay towards the stands' side on the favourite.

However Al Boum Photo gained the advantage at the last, and stretched clear on the run-in to score by seven lengths, with early pace-setter Carrigmoorna Matt another 19 lengths away in third.

Willie Mullins lands our @IrishEBF_ Beginners Chase at @NavanRacecourse with Al Boum Photo. Min, Douvan and Vautour previous winners! pic.twitter.com/1CvMLN6Z5Q

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 26, 2017

Winning trainer Willie Mullins said, "Good to see him winning at that trip. I suppose we were fortunate enough we didn't get mixed up in the early stuff that was going on there. It was a nice performance from a horse having his first start over fences with all that commotion going on. It didn't seem to bother him.

"He just made one mistake that I could see, and was doing his best work at the end. I think we will have to look at two and a half miles and, especially if the ground gets better three miles, as he has plenty of stamina. He's one to look forward to."

(MG & AM)