Henrietta Knight: Al Boum campaign like Best Mate's but pair are very different

Few are better placed to know what it takes to win three consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cups than Henrietta Knight and the history-making trainer believes comparisons can be drawn between the campaigning of Best Mate and Al Boum Photo, for all that the pair are very different individuals.

The current title-holder has run just five times since his dramatic final-fence exit at the Punchestown festival in April 2018, but his haul in the following 140 weeks has seen him plunder two Cheltenham Gold Cups and two Savills New Year's Day Chases.

Henrietta Knight: 'The way Willie has campaigned [Al Boum Photo] is very similar to what we did'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Knight also campaigned her triple Gold Cup hero carefully, masterfully bringing him to the boil in springtime for what would typically be his first start of the calendar year.