Sarah Sands speaks to Louise Duffy, responsible for the second career of dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo.
As retrained racehorse ambassadors go, a dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner might be as good as it gets.
Al Boum Photo became, in 2019, Willie Mullins’s first winner of the famous trophy. He was successful again with a neck-long victory in 2020.
Running for art-collecting owners Joe and Marie Donnelly, and with Paul Townend in the saddle, he raced on for two more seasons before retiring on an official rating of 165.
The French-bred son of Buck’s Boum hails from a Nijinsky sire line with some Dancing Brave on the dam side.
A handsome, glistening dark bay, he stands at 16.3hh with an imposing figure, his classical head expressing wisdom reserved for the best.
Big stars tend to lean towards a showing post-racing.
In Ireland, the ultimate aim for showing former racehorses is to reach August’s Dublin Horse Show. The city centre spectacular attracts over 100,000 spectators, with the racehorse class being one of its highlights.
The public enjoy watching household names being ridden in a different style, discovering whether or not they can cope with a new atmosphere.
Al Boum Photo has, however, ventured down an eventing – not showing – pathway.
An exciting, but notoriously difficult Olympic sport, eventing requires horses to be at their best across three separate disciplines.
Participation is high at grassroots level right around the world, but it tails off as the challenges get tougher, with top events such as Badminton attracting just 50 or so international riders.
Dressage, its first component, is a four-minute test of equine suppleness and obedience and it can prove difficult for former racehorses to settle long enough to score highly.
Similarly, showjumping doesn’t always come naturally to a former racehorse.
Keeping coloured poles intact requires a certain technique and paces must be specific between obstacles, which become more technical as heights and levels increase.
Eventing’s final phase, however, is where thoroughbreds can truly thrive.
Cross-country tests last around six minutes, with 25 or more imposing obstacles placed in woodland, through water, up hills and down dales.
It requires skill, judgement, bravery and – most importantly – speed to hit the permitted time.
Luckily for thoroughbreds, along with their natural speed, they’re also one of the smartest breeds, something Al Boum Photo, who began his retraining in the hands of renowned horsewoman Louise Duffy, perfectly exemplifies.
Duffy, who by day consults in the field of science, isn’t new to transitioning racehorses.
“There have been a few along the way,” she said, “including the unraced Spike, who reached 2* eventing and another mare [by Old Vic] who wasn’t successful on the track but became a fantastic broodmare for us.”
It was Duffy’s blossoming relationship with Jackie Mullins (wife of Willie) that led her to recruit Al Boum Photo.
Recognising her talent as a producer, the first lady of Closutton had partnered Duffy with Assessed (a Grade 1 winner and sparring partner of Moscow Flyer), with whom she competed in Pony Club, Riding Club, Dublin and Royal Windsor fixtures, eventing him to 2* level thereafter.
“When starting the work of retraining, I take it all very slowly with a variety of work that allows horses to show me their preferences,” explained Duffy. “Some enjoy showing but others need more to keep their minds engaged.”
After Assessed came another Mullins Grade 1 winner, the Rich and Susannah Ricci-owned Arvika Legionnaire.
A French-bred gelding, like Al Boum Photo, he retired after winning at Fairyhouse in 2014.
Duffy again repeated the eventing feat, peaking at 2* with 27 official completions on his record.
The 21-year-old bowed out in 2021 but remains in fine fettle, competing now and then, most recently with champion jockey Mark Walsh on board at the annual Treo Eile Christmas Show fundraiser.
Al Boum Photo ran his last race at Autueil in 2022, after an eight-season career in which he ran 23 times, amassing over £1m in prize money.
“Jackie contacted me and I was very lucky to be given him,” shared Duffy. “I gave him loads of time… lots of hacking and just mooching about to get him confident in his new environment.”
Duffy added that Al Boum photo has “always been incredibly intelligent and very aware of everything”, which, she said, is “brilliant” for eventing.
“He was placed in showing classes,” Duffy continued, “but when we started jumping him it really clicked and his brain appreciated having to think. As a cross-country rider it’s reassuring to know that your partner has locked on to a fence and three strides out has already worked out how to do it.”
Duffy has been inundated with press enquiries and photoshoots. She and Al Boum Photo recently appeared at Cheltenham during a parade of former Festival winners.
We know that superstars seldom struggle to find new adventures after retiring from racing, but having them fly the flag does wonders for the perceptions around retraining thoroughbreds, proving to fellow riders that they can make it to the top levels of their second sports.
Though it’s still relatively early days in Al Boum Photo’s new career, given Duffy’s remarkable record with former racehorses, the odds are in their favour and we’ll be backing them to add to the silverware.
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